The Iowa Photo: Flags in the light

I took this photo during a day spent on the campaign trail in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District just before Tuesday’s election. While the straightforward approach to the assignment would have been to just photograph the two candidates as they rallied support ahead of the election, light shining through the window caught my eye. Sometimes a quiet moment like the morning light illuminating American flags on a small-town hardware store shelf can tell just as much of a story as a photo of a candidate shaking hands and making their case to voters. A small-town hardware store is a setting that illustrates the brand of retail politics that Iowa is known for. The Christmas lights on the shelf behind are a subtle symbol of the season’s change every November and a point of comparison to another American tradition.