A photograph can freeze one instant in time for eternity, but for Matthew Pillsbury, that’s not all it can do. The passage of time is an essential part of his images.
Over the years, the France-born, New York-based photographer has made his reputation capturing large-format, long exposure cityscapes in the U.S. and around the world.
On April 15, as Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton took the stage at Brooklyn’s Navy Yard for their ninth debate, Pillsbury waited in the “spin room” with a medium-format camera, which he mounted on a tripod.
“There’s obviously a lot of quiet waiting,” the photographer says. “Then as the candidates were giving their closing remarks, the room became a hive of activity. The various campaign surrogates came out carrying tall banners announcing themselves and packs of reporters gathered around them. Suddenly the room had the energy of an athletic event when at the end of the game the fans rush the field.”
Pillsbury’s photo is a long exposure taken over several minutes. It shows the frenetic workings of today’s political landscape as dozens of journalists and political pundits chase each other in an elaborate, yet chaotic dance. But, says Pillsbury, this intense ritual is surprisingly quiet. “I guess people have to keep the volume down so that they all can do their shots and file their reporting.”
Matthew Pillsbury is an American photographer based in New York.
Olivier Laurent is the editor of TIME LightBox. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @olivierclaurent
Follow TIME LightBox on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Extreme Heat Makes It Hard for Kids to Be Active. But Exercise Is Crucial In a Warming World
- Pelosi's Visit to Taiwan Has Badly Damaged U.S.-China Relations, But Not Irreversibly
- Reality TV Has Reshaped Our World, Whether We Like It or Not
- Progress Is Not A Given. It is Won: The Connection Between James Baldwin and Toni Morrison
- The Inflation Reduction Act's Name Says A Lot About The Climate Fight
- How Reservation Dogs Became More than Just Must-See Television in Its Second Season
- The U.S Will Soon Have Space Force Ambassadors Around the World
