Update 9/8/2022: Queen Elizabeth II, featured in an image below, has passed away today, after a 70-year reign.

While photographing a protest rally in 1993, news photographer Christy Bowe was invited by a United Press International (UPI) photographer to hop on the official press truck covering the event. The happenstance moment led to a passion for photojournalism and a career covering major news events in the United States capital city, including eight presidential inaugurations, eight confirmation hearings for United States Supreme Court Justices, two presidential impeachments, and visits from countless dignitaries and celebrities (including Pope John Paul II, the Dalai Lama, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mother Teresa, Paul Newman and Viktor Yushchenko, the former president of Ukraine). In her book Eyes That Speak: One Woman News Photographer’s Journey with History Makers, Bowe chronicles her experiences being one of the only women photographers who have captured five consecutive administrations at the White House.

“I chose the images for the book [based on] the historic events and experiences that were special to me along the way,” news photographer Christy Bowe says of her process in assembling the book. “I also wanted people to know that a lot goes into taking a picture. Sure, we all have a picture fall into our lap from time to time, but not usually. Hurry up and wait is our mantra as news photographers.”

Bowe approaches all her subjects, even the ones that have been largely reviled by the media, with compassion and humor. “I would have to say that in my years of covering the White House many people seem to forget that the President of The United States is still a human being and some of the constant criticism is not always fair or helpful,” she says.

A third-generation Washingtonian, Bowe was kicked out of her Catholic high school in ninth grade for refusing to conform. Although she briefly attended the Montgomery College of Rockville, Maryland, and the University of Missouri Photo Workshop in Carthage, Missouri, most of her training took place while she was covering events at the White House. She attributes at least some of her success to asking for access to people or events even when she thought that she would be turned down. “I have often been surprised that answer was yes,” she says. “The power of the camera is mighty.”

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An early break came for Bowe when she befriended the legendary Sarah McClendon, a reporter who covered the White House for over half a century. Shortly after being inducted as a member of the White House News Photographers’ Association, Bowe had an opportunity to photograph McClendon speaking with Henry Kissinger. Bowe sent the resulting images to McClendon, and the pair struck up a friendship, which lead to more official access for Bowe, who eventually became an official member of the White House Press Corps.

Bowe notes that most of the time when she is photographing a subject, she is not granted the type of access she would prefer—often due to security protocols, or lately, due to COVID-19. “I absolutely prefer to build rapport, when possible, with my subjects,” she says. “Most often I do not have that luxury and need to be extra observant to watch for candid moments which are my favorite and I think the most rewarding.”

To get the best shot in a situation you can’t really control—due to protocols or crowds—Bowe recommends angling your shot to crop out busy backgrounds. “Always pay attention to who else is in the room where your subject is,” she says, adding: “Often the best pictures are those that you get before or after the event takes place.”

In recent years, Bowe has witnessed increasingly explosive moments in the capital, including at the confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. “There were a lot of moments of people getting up and yelling, then being dragged out of the room by police,” she says. “After a while we photographers could tell by the body language and facial expressions who was going to stand up and start shouting. We just got in position and let things unfold.”

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Another explosive situation that Bowe found herself in was during the insurrection on January 6. While photographing the crowd at the Capitol, Bowe came face to face with members of the Proud Boys, who stormed towards her, yelling derogatory statements about the media. “I chose to stash my credentials under my jacket and use only one camera body so I could blend in more with the crowd especially since the media was under attack that day,” she says. At times, she found herself caught up in the mob. “At one point, people were so tightly together moving up the Capitol steps that I was not able to see beyond the head of the person in front of me,” she recalls.

A lot has changed over the three decades Bowe has been covering the U.S Capitol. Firstly, she no longer uses film cameras, and as a result, shoots upwards of 10,000 images a month, which has significantly added to the amount of time she spends editing. Bowe, who shoots with a Nikon Z9 in addition to the Nikon D5 and D4 and a f/2.8 lens, no longer uses a flash. “We do not use flash anymore because the ISO speeds are so fantastic,” she tells Rangefinder. If she wants to be inconspicuous, she uses her iPhone 12 Pro to capture images.

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Although Bowe is still covering the administration of President Joseph R. Biden—whose code name, she divulges, is “Celtic”—she chose to end her book with his inauguration. “During the Biden inauguration as I looked out over the empty space with 25,000 National Guard [members] with high powered rifles, I knew that would be the end of my book.” Even despite the past few years being challenging for many due to the continuation of the pandemic and mass shootings across the country, among many other factors, Bowe notes that there is still a glimmer of hope in the air.

She ends her fascinating narrative with the following words: “It is in times like these, I am reminded of my old friend and bureau chief Sarah McClendon’s words from long ago: ‘Be sure to always keep an eye on the President.’”

To purchase Eyes That Speak, follow this link. And to learn more about news photographer Christy Bowe, visit her website.