Notable images: The Associated Press
In 1998, I was part of the Associated Press photo team covering one of the most consequential political scandals in modern American history: the relationship between U.S. President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky. What became known as the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal—or, more colloquially, "Monicagate"—dominated headlines for months, drawing intense public interest and creating an insatiable demand for photographs of the individuals at the center of the story.
On April 6, 1998, Lewinsky appeared in Philadelphia at the historic Wanamaker Building alongside her attorney, William Ginsburg. As they exited the building, she suddenly broke into a hurried dash toward a waiting car. For a brief moment, the carefully managed barriers between subject and press disappeared. Standing only a few feet away, I had a split second to react.
The resulting photograph captured an unguarded moment in one of the most scrutinized stories of the decade—a fleeting expression preserved on film amid the political storm that threatened a presidency and captivated a nation.
Technical: Nikon F5 Film body with Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8
On September 11, 2001, I was a staff photographer with the Philadelphia bureau of the Associated Press. Early that morning, reports began to emerge that a plane had struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center. In those first chaotic moments, no one fully grasped what was happening. We did not yet know whether it was a tragic accident or the opening act of a coordinated attack. The enormity of the day—and the course of history it would alter—remained unimaginable.
I was assigned to help cover the unfolding story and headed toward the Hudson River waterfront in Jersey City and Bayonne, New Jersey. As the sun rose, I looked across the water toward lower Manhattan. The skyline, so familiar and enduring, had been transformed. Thick smoke billowed into the morning sky. Debris drifted on the wind. The city stood shrouded in shock and uncertainty.
Rising from New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty stood framed against the smoke-darkened horizon. While devastation consumed the city beyond, her torch remained raised toward the sky. In that moment, she appeared not merely as a monument, but as a symbol of resilience—a quiet, steadfast presence amid chaos and grief.
Technical: Nikon D1 Digital Body with Nikon 500mm f/4