Capturing presidential history, through the cameras of Gazette photographers

Gazette Visuals

Whether the U.S. president is leading the nation through a time of crisis or a time of prosperity, photographers are there to capture the important moments. This Presidents Day, we're looking back on Gazette photojournalists' work documenting the nation's commanders in chief.

Three presidents, three nations

Three presidents from three different nations — U.S. President Bill Clinton, center, Czech President Vaclav Havel, right, and Slovak President Michal Kovac — visited Cedar Rapids on Oct. 21, 1995. Marie-Susanne Landille covered the trio's visit, which was for the dedication ceremony of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. President Clinton visited Iowa nine times during his years in office, touring schools and visiting farms, doling out hugs and words of comfort to flood victims, even swapping jokes about hogs. Photo by former Gazette photojournalist Marie-Susanne Landille

President George W. Bush visits after 2008 flood

A group of reporters and photojournalists travels with the president in what is called the 'press pool.' When President George W. Bush was in town to view damage from the flooding in 2008, The Gazette was able to embed one photographer with the traveling press pool. We met at the airport, then boarded a helicopter that would follow Marine One. The photographers all crowded around a window that overlooked Marine One as it flew over flooded areas of Johnson County on June 19, 2008. Photo by Gazette photojournalist Liz Martin

Barack Obama, before he became president

This was the first visit to Iowa for then-Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, after he declared his presidential candidacy in 2007. You could feel the energy through the crowd packed into the gymnasium at Kennedy High School as Obama greeted members of the audience during an appearance at Cedar Rapids Kennedy High School on Feb. 10, 2007. Photo by Gazette photojournalist Jim Slosiarek

President Donald Trump visits after derecho

A lot of the time, the hardest part of photographing a president is just figuring out where you're allowed to be and how to make a good photo in that spot. Because of the pandemic and regular security concerns, there was only a small space I could stand when President Donald Trump visited The Eastern Iowa Airport on Aug. 18, 2020, to attend a disaster recovery briefing after the derecho. The best I figured I could do was to try and show the president talking to local leaders even if I could only see those leaders' backs. Sometimes, like in this case, the important photo isn't the most exciting photo, and that is just fine. Photo by Gazette photojournalist Andy Abeyta

Joe Biden campaigns in Iowa

I was covering this event Jan. 2, 2020, in Anamosa, and was surprised when Joe Biden, instead of standing next to his wife as she spoke, sat down in the audience. It was interesting to see him try to connect with people around him, but I noticed one neighbor wasn't engaging much. I later spent a day with that person, Janelle Lutgen, and found out she was not a Biden supporter but was there to ask him about his position on insulin prices and access. That's a medicine people with diabetes need to help them stay alive. It was a good reminder that you can disagree with someone politically while still having a constructive conversation about an issue that's important to you. Photo by Gazette photojournalist Rebecca F. Miller