You’ve probably never heard of Brendan Smialovski.  He works very quietly.  Oh so very quietly as a photojournalist…  never stirring.  never creating a commotion.   Always just a heartbeat away from the action… 

He took the famous photo of President Trump in front of the church holding a bible.  And countless other shots seared into your brain…. over the last 20 years.  .  The last four presidents. War Zones.  Brendan Smialovski has spend his life an arm’s legnth from history.

And so it was again…. last Wednesday.  When the 40 year old award winning photographer passed through the security checkpoints…  clambered onto the rickety photographer’s stand and set up his equipment to record history.   The inauguration of Joe Biden.   

It was cold… on that open platform 30 feet in the air… wind was biting as the hour approached.  Smialovski took pictures of all the dignitaries greeting each other … his eye glued to the lens…  but he’s a pro.    While he looks through the lens ...e’s learned to scan aa crowd with the other eye..  and that’s how he saw Senator Bernie Sanders fidgeting.  Legs crossed.  mittens wiggling… 

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And out of all the wars.. and inaugurations.. and famous moments… Brendan Smialovksi’s will now be most remembered… for the picture of an old man bundled against the cold.  At the inauguration.