Covering a Protest (10/2/13)

Yesterday morning I had a last-minute assignment added to my schedule. I was to cover a "spontaneous" march protesting the Affordable Healthcare Act.

(Note: I will not be offering an opinion on the Affordable Healthcare Act on this blog. The purpose of this blog is to share photos, and some incite into my approach to the assignment. Thank you for checking out my blog) 

Right away I thought I might be able to make some interesting frames from a story that had some national relevance. Not exactly.

I got to the park where the march was supposed to start quite a bit early, thinking there would possibly be some people getting ready, making signs even, and I would make some nice photos of that happening.

Also, the protest was set to start at 6:30 p.m., which meant there would be gorgeous evening light. So, I was pretty excited. There were going to be people protesting something of national relevance in beautiful October light.

Now, after my initial reaction to seeing the assignment, I realized this was probably not going to be some big protest, but rather a few people sharing their thoughts on the Affordable Healthcare Act.

It turns out that the "march" was so "spontaneous" that only two people showed up.

One fellow sporting a set of scrubs and one of those rubber President Obama masks and a woman carrying around a sign.

I decided that I would cover the crap out of it anyway, and make a gallery for the Argus Leader website.

I wasn't going to let the nice evening light go to waste. Plus, the fellow in the mask was interesting to photograph. The assignment reaffirmed my decision to purchase my new 85mm f/1.8. What a great lens, worth every penny. 

Anyways, now for some photos. Here are a few of my favorite frames from the assignment.

Emmett Reistroffer, of Sioux Falls, S.D., checks the time while protesting government controlled healthcare while wearing scrubs and a President Barack Obama mask in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Emmett Reistroffer, of Sioux Falls, S.D., waves to passersby while protesting government controlled healthcare wearing scrubs and a President Barack Obama mask along 10th Street in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Kim Johnson, of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Emmett Reistroffer, also of Sioux Falls, S.D., and was wearing scrubs and a President Barack Obama mask, protest government controlled healthcare along 10th Street in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Emmett Reistroffer, of Sioux Falls, S.D., protests government controlled healthcare while wearing scrubs and a President Barack Obama mask with Kim Johnson, also of Sioux falls, S.D., along 10th Street in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Kim Johnson, of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Emmett Reistroffer, also of Sioux Falls, S.D., and was wearing scrubs and a President Barack Obama mask, protest government controlled healthcare along 10th Street in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Kim Johnson, of Sioux Falls, S.D., waves to passersby while protesting government controlled healthcare along 10th Street in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Emmett Reistroffer, of Sioux Falls, S.D., waves to passersby while dressed in scrubs and wearing a President Barack Obama mask during a protest of government controlled healthcare in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Emmett Reistroffer, of Sioux Falls, S.D., waves to passersby while dressed in scrubs and wearing a President Barack Obama mask during a protest of government controlled healthcare in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Emmett Reistroffer, of Sioux Falls, S.D., protests government controlled healthcare while wearing scrubs and a President Barack Obama mask with Kim Johnson, also of Sioux falls, S.D.,  along 10th Street in downtown Sioux Falls, S.D., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)