Even better in the 1000 px version. Just click and see.
It doesn't show the size of the crowd, but captures the beauty of the building with the protesters lining the rails and chanting - it was a great moment. And a tough shot, too, with many people behind me pushing to get to the rotunda floor. Had to plant my feet and hold my ground. With the low, yellow light in the Capitol producing a lot of noise, motion blur, and wild color variations in most pictures, shooting there is difficult at best, a nightmare at worst - but I love the challenge.
This day, with hundreds packing the place all the way to the top floor, was especially challenging. Hard to shoot when your eyes tear up and you can't stop smiling.
Joining them in the chant was very cathartic. The whole day, I felt like I was getting back on the horse that threw me, and to go in and howl like that, with all those people at my side? Priceless. I chanted for the shutdowns. I chanted for the budget cuts. I chanted for the frustration felt during the tyranny of Bishop. I chanted for all the endless battles of before, I chanted for all the endless battles to come. It was a strange mix of vindication laced with sorrow - but what a great release, if only for a moment.
Whose house? Our house.
And later, when they came back in the building and did it again, I ran into Mark Schauer at that point. We stood there at the rotunda entry off the Senate side, and watched and listened to the stomping and the chanting, over and over... and I flashed on the fact that it sure was a long way from that sunny July day in 2007 when I decided I just had to go meet the guy in an office in that very hallway. It became surreal at that point, thinking of all that had happened since then. I'm really glad he was there to see it.
I'm glad I was too.
I'm sure there will be more protests to come. Don't know if I'll make it down there again, but I'll be with them in spirit. Always.