Politics in Play: Photography in the 2012 Presidential Race
by Damon Winter, Lauren Fleishman, & Ricardo Cases
November 2012
Exhibit opening, screening, & talk
Tuesday November 13, 2012, 7:30 PM
Moderated by Paul Moakley, Deputy Director of photography at TIME, and Cornelius Schmid, picture editor at The New York Times
Hell, I never vote for anybody, I always vote against.
- W.C. Fields
Politics in Play presents three distinct styles of campaign photography by Damon Winter, Lauren Fleishman, & Ricardo Cases. Looked at side by side, their three approaches can serve as vibrant shorthand for some of the messages, stances, and moods of this election. With his dramatic capturing of shadows and light, Damon conveys the staged aspects of the process. At the other end of the spectrum, Ricardo’s pictures, strobed and super-bright, play on an idealized—even neutralized—vision of America, replete with blue skies, perfect white teeth, and success within reach. And Lauren’s photos, shot in black & white, lend a classic, timeless feel to their unscripted moments. Expectations are in check for November 6th; perhaps, latent in this rich imagery, are portents for that day’s results.
~ Anna Van Lenten
Damon Winter is a staff photographer for The New York Times. Lauren Fleishman is a freelance photographer. She followed the 2012 Romney campaign for Time. Ricardo Cases is a freelance photographer who covered the Republican primary in Florida for Time.
Photos © Damon Winter; © Lauren Fleishman; © Ricardo Cases.