In Part 1 of my DNC roundup, I explore the pivot from Biden, Dems laying claim to the flag, women’s empowerment in Harris’s rise, and family, inclusion, and generational change.

By Michael Shaw

How dynamic was the Democratic Convention? Well, the Dems have an election to win, and the GOP’s extended slide into authoritarianism and cult worship has created opportunities for a reorganized ticket that you could drive a fleet of driverless cars through.

But first, there was a torch to pass.

We Love You, Joe (Who Had to Go)

The convention planners had a significant challenge in ensuring a smooth transition from Biden to Harris without causing any hard feelings or lingering bruises. This was primarily accomplished on the first night, packed with tributes and admiration for Biden, culminating in his speech.

The blurriness in this image captures the essence of a ‘banner’ convention because the Democrats nailed it. The jitter effect conveys the whirlwind of excitement that fills the United Center. Throughout Biden’s ovation (did anyone time it?), the convention hummed in a beehive of adulation.

I don’t think Biden would have stepped aside, or the convention vibes would have been as powerful if Harris’s relationship with Biden wasn’t as strong.

Maybe I drank too much Kool-Aid, but these images convey a depth of affection from Harris, which is noteworthy as these soft and admiring expressions (and I’ve seen a lot of Kamala Harris photographs) were new and unique to me.

However, the hard fact is that the convention represented a considerable public relations hurdle to formalize the changing of the guard, which makes this photo by Brendan Smielowski so perfect. The contrast between the image of Biden emotionally hugging his daughter and the hurried figure in the foreground speaks to the urgency of moving forward.

Payback Time

Right before Hillary Clinton’s speech, I discovered this photo of a pin immortalizing Nancy Pelosi mocking Trump with a hand clap during his 2019 State of the Union speech. It perfectly complemented the tone of the convention as speaker after speaker tore into Trump, with Clinton, in particular, using her no-holds-barred comments to exact revenge for her loss to Donald.

The image took on new significance when I encountered Erin Schaff’s striking photograph of Pelosi – a perfect capture of the woman who would ultimately become Biden’s career curtain-closer. Expanding on the payback theme, the combination of the banner and Nancy Pelosi’s nonplussed expression can’t help but editorialize on her execution of the dirty deed.

USA! USA!

Like the “We ❤️ Joe” shot above, the wave-making blur visually conveys energy and passion too immense to fully capture or quantify. This technique was ubiquitous throughout the convention, with countless photos employing the blur of waving flags to enhance the spirited atmosphere.

Perhaps the convention’s most significant accomplishment was the way the Democrats exploited Trump’s isolationism and his indifference to the Constitution to flip the script on the Republican party’s almost proprietary identification with patriotism. With Harris-Walz emphasizing freedom and democracy as more expansive watchwords for patriotism, the convention focused on rights, service, liberty, and all good things about the good old U.S. of A. I have to admit, it took until night three for me to disassociate the “USA” chants from the Republicans. Less jarring but more striking was the way Old Glory blanketed the convention.The flag formed the glue for many other statements and connections. On the left, you have the faces of youth and a heavy helping of stars and stripes from the girl’s top to the handheld flags against the huge wallpaper in the background.

The image on the right by Alan Chin, best known as a war photographer, gives the sense of the flag planted onto a beachhead as a culminating event—which, amid the closing balloon drop, it was. Victory over Trump in the culture war?

In a nation known for marginalizing African Americans and other racial and religious groups, photos like this not just represented but viscerally demonstrated Harris’s linkage of freedom and democracy to civil rights.

The patriotic and civic themes captured in this photo by Brandon Bell evoke the timeless essence of Norman Rockwell’s iconic images.

The convention effectively challenged the Republican claim to patriotism by repeatedly emphasizing foreign relations, national defense, and military strength. Beyond the sharp visuals and jabs at Trump’s bone spurs, the visual messaging prominently showcased military service within the party ranks. Perhaps the most impactful moment, as seen above, was when veterans who are also Democratic members of Congress took the stage.

Making Herstory

You must have seen some variation of this Pledge of Allegiance picture, the delegates wearing white to honor women’s suffrage. The emphasis on women was so absolute those four days that Kamala Harris herself felt less like the highlight than the subtext.

There were countless joyous photos of women celebrating. This particular image by Melina Mara stands out for its powerful echo between the raised double fists and the ‘Union Strong’ Rosie the Riveter patch

In this picture, beyond the pride and joy, I admire the kumbaya of the orange/green semi-circle—and what the gender contrast has to say.

Mindful of the way J.D. Vance reduces women’s value to their roles as mothers and caregivers, scene after scene at the DNC subverted that stereotype. Just check out the body language as Gabby Giffords stole the crowd’s hearts, overshadowing her husband, Mark Kelly, even though he was a finalist in Harris’s veepstakes. And Barack Obama played it up, too, in the gesture of deference to Michelle after she rallied the faithful in a call to action.

Family, Inclusion, and Generational Change

We plan visual strategies and hope for excellent outcomes, but they rarely match the spontaneous and magical quality of unplanned images.

The sweet “that’s my dad” moment that captured so many hearts personified the Walz family’s character and touched people even more deeply for Gus Walz’s neurodiversity.

After too many years of Don Jr., Eric, Tiffany, etc., Kamala Harris’s family, especially her nieces, Leela and Amara Ajagu, were also a breath of fresh air. Sugary as it was, their gig with actress Kerry Washington was an effectively disarming public service announcement, performing the service of teaching the public how to pronounce auntie’s name correctly (it starts with “comma”), especially as Republicans denigrate Harris by mispronouncing it on purpose.

Finally, true to the thousand-word adage, Todd Heisler’s astonishing photo of Amara watching her great-aunt, Kamala Harris, deliver her convention acceptance speech was one for the ages. In this masterfully positioned frame, Heisler distills the essence of four days of expressed values and aspirations into a single generational moment.

Look for our Chatting the Pictures video about this picture.

The composition symbolizes generational inspiration, diversity and representation, breaking barriers, and a future-oriented vision. It highlights the campaign’s emphasis on inclusivity, progress, and American values. The intimate perspective creates an emotional connection, inviting viewers to imagine themselves or their children in that position.

Talk about picture perfect.

Coming in Part 2: Courting the middle class, light on Palestine, the convention as infotainment, and Trump in a box.