--- description: Spanish photographer Ricardo Cases embarked on a week-long road trip shooting the Florida primary for TIME (along with everything else in his path). It was his first encounter with American politics. title: Florida Primary through the Lens of Ricardo Cases image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbe6ddd9dd38bc7c5/69879c61428a9e1237cc8c5d/mg_0816.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [LightBox](/tag/time-section-lightbox/) ## LightBox Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # A Sunshine State of Mind for the Florida Primary  by [Lily Rothman](/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Feb 1, 2012 9:01 AM CUT  Newt and Callista Gingrich pose for photos during a rally at The Villages, Fla., January 29, 2012. Newt and Callista Gingrich pose for photos during a rally at The Villages, Fla., January 29, 2012.Ricardo Cases for TIME  by [Lily Rothman](/author/lily-rothman/)  ## Lily Rothman Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Rothman is managing editor at TIME. Feb 1, 2012 9:01 AM CUT Spanish photographer [Ricardo Cases](http://www.ricardocases.es/ "undefined") is known for his signature bright colors—colors that were on vivid display in his most recent book, [_Paloma Al Aire_](http://www.dalpine.com/en/book/paloma-al-aire "undefined"), which captures the traditions of pigeon racing. This week, TIME asked Cases to turn his eye to a different kind of sport: politics. The photographer traveled to Florida to cover Tuesday’s Republican presidential primary, which Mitt Romney easily won. Although Cases had never photographed American politics before, he said he found the atmosphere one that was well suited for his photographic process. “Florida has everything I need to work: color, color, color, good weather and all the consequences of these four factors in the development of the society,” he said in an email to TIME. Cases was not very familiar with the topic he was sent to shoot, but he didn’t need to do much preparation to capture these vibrant images of candidate former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and the voters he hoped to persuade, as well as events for Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. In fact, Cases said he rarely does much preparation for a shoot, preferring to rely on randomness as a catalyst for his pictures. “What stimulates me is the freshness of the first encounter with a new place, with a new people,” he said. “I think that chance is a great tool for a photographer.” And now that he’s experienced that moment with birds and politicians alike, what’s his take-away for the future? “It’s easier to work with politicians,” he said, “because they can’t fly.” _Ricardo Cases is a Spanish photographer. See more of his work_ [_here_](http://www.ricardocases.es/ "undefined")_._ _Interview with Ricardo Cases translated by Javier Sirvent._  Newt and Callista Gingrich pose for photos during a rally at The Villages, Fla., January 29, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Attendees of a Gingrich rally at The Villages, Fla., January 29, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A vendor sells buttons outside the GOP presidential debate at the University of North Florida, January 26, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A worker in an orange grove, Mt. Dora, Fla., January 29, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Callista Gingrich during a rally at The Villages, Fla., January 29, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  An employee washes a car at the BayWash Bikini Car Wash in Winter Park, Fla., January 28, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Attendees of a Gingrich rally at The Villages, Fla., January 29, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A Rick Santorum supporter at Aloma Baptist Church, Winter Park, Fla., January 28, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A couple reads notes left on the a cross in front of a Jesus statue overlooking a pond at the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, Fla., January 28, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Newt Gingrich addresses the Republican Jewish Coalition in Delray Beach, Fla., January 27, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Attendee at a Gingrich rally at the Republican Jewish Coalition, Delray Beach, Fla., January 27, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A man with buttons at a Gingrich event in Delray Beach, Fla., January 27, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A man relaxing outside a T.G.I. Friday's at the Villages, Fla., January 29, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  At Flea World, America's largest flea market, in Sanford, Fla., January 29, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A man sells flags outside a Gingrich rally at the Centro de Familia, Orlando, Fla., January 28, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  At the Republican Jewish Coalition, Delray Beach, Fla., January 27, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Buttons at a Gingrich rally at the Republican Jewish Coalition, Delray Beach, Fla., January 27, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A journalist stands outside the Centro de Familia while waiting for the former Speaker Newt Gingrich to arrive, Orlando, Fla., January 28, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Newt and Callista Gingrich pose with a member of the audience at the Centro de Familia, Orlando, Fla., January 28, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  The scene before a Gingrich rally at the Republican Jewish Coalition, Delray Beach, Fla., January 27, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Attendees at the Orange County Republican Executive Committee's annual Lincoln Day Dinner, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Fla., January 28, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Orange County Republican Executive Committee's annual Lincoln Day Dinner, Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, Orlando, Fla., January 28, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A couple relaxes at The Villages, Fla., January 29, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Palm trees, Tampa, Fla., January 31, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Hotel outside of the Tampa Convention Center before Romney´s Florida Primary night event, January 31, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Mitt Romney arrives at The Villages, Fla., January 30, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Mitt Romney event at The Villages, Fla., January 30, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A man waits for a Romney autograph during a campaign event at Ring Power Lift Trucks in Jacksonville, Fla., January 30, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A flag decorates Romney's campaign event at Ring Power Lift Trucks in Jacksonville, Fla., January 30, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Children at Romney's campaign event at Ring Power Lift Trucks in Jacksonville, Fla., January 30, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  The scene outside the Tampa Convention Center before Romney´s Florida Primary event, January 31, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Romney election headquarters in Tampa, Florida, January 31, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Scenery near the Tampa Convention Center before Romney´s Florida Primary event, January 31, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A worker at the Tampa Convention Center before Romney´s Florida Primary event, January 31, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  A man smokes a pipe outside the Tampa Convention Center before Romney´s Florida Primary event, January 31, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME  Miss Florida, Kristina Janolo, at the Tampa Convention Center for Romney´s Florida Primary event, January 31, 2012. Ricardo Cases for TIME ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3785684/a-sunshine-state-of-mind-for-the-florida-primary/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3785684/a-sunshine-state-of-mind-for-the-florida-primary/"},"headline":"A Sunshine State of Mind for the Florida Primary","datePublished":"2012-02-01T09:01:37.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:41:12.360Z","description":"Spanish photographer Ricardo Cases embarked on a week-long road trip shooting the Florida primary for TIME (along with everything else in his path). 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