Election 2008 photographs not taken (and excuse me while I talk politics, briefly)

[A young black woman, with reddish brown microbraids and a beret, jumps for joy outside of a modest elementary school, a huge grin on her face, an "I Voted" sticker on her gray cardigan while her friend takes her photo with a cellphone. They're in the school's driveway, on gray asphalt under a gray, early morning sky, red, gold and orange leaves swirling around.]

[A newsroom, buzzing with activity, placards attached to desks indicating who sits where, placards bearing the names of veteran journalists. People are running everywhere, lined up for a dinner buffet, flatscreens are tuned to CNN or MSNBC, everyone's on a landline phone, a cell phone or a Blackberry. There's a smile on many people's faces, looks of concentration and determination on most others.]

[Out on L St in D.C., around 10 p.m. a group of men and women stand in the vestibule of an office building, the faces lit by the glow of their cigarettes and the warm orange glow of a streetlamp. One man exhales smoke and chats with his colleagues about Barack Obama. ]

[A huge apartment complex, a large grid of small square orange and yellow lights, which stand out against a purplish, nighttime sky. Silhouettes stand in the balconies, cheering "Obama" and screaming.]

[A line of people, stretching 70 deep on a street corner, stand outside a newsroom building, reflected in the mirrored windows of an office building across the street, wait for a sold-out newspaper, declaring Barack Obama president-elect of the United States of America.]

So.

I didn't have my camera with me yesterday or today to document the election of the first black president of the United States and the reaction. Blame it on severe sleep deprivation, coming from several weeks in a row of 6-day work weeks, etc. etc. A photographer without a camera is kind of a drag, isn't it?

But I've thought about it and you know, I'm not regretful. (Not too much anyway.)

I think yesterday and today is going to be seared in my brain and it's not something I'll forget anytime soon. I've had my skepticisms and doubts and while I'm still skeptical cautiously optimistic, last night was a tremendous moment. (And I hope this isn't the end of something, but just the beginning of something even bigger.)

Sometimes, it's enough to just live and be in the moment and hold onto the thoughts and memories from those experiences. (But only sometimes.)

Of Interest: (The inspiration-for-this-post-edition)
Duh.
Photos of the campaign.
More photos of/inspired by the campaign.
The photographs not taken.