Photographing Tension at the Republican Convention

  • Texas delegates on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    1 of 39
  • Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump walks on stage after his daughter, Ivanka Trump, introduced him on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    2 of 39
  • A Trump supporter celebrates at the end of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    3 of 39
  • Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends the third day of the Republican National Convention after securing the nomination on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    4 of 39
  • Republican Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence delivers his speech on the third day of the Republican National Convention on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    5 of 39
  • Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his family listen to speeches on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    6 of 39
  • US Senetor Ted Cruz speaks at the Republican National Convention where he refuses to endorse presidential candidate Donald Trump on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    7 of 39
  • Delegates react to Ted Cruz during his contoversial speech where he refused to endorse presidential candidate Donald Trump on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    8 of 39
  • Protesters struggle with law enforcement after trying to burn an American Flag near the sight of the Republican National Convention in downtown Cleveland on the third day of the convention on July 20, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    9 of 39
  • A protestor is restrained by police after a group tried to burn an American Flag near the sight of the Republican National Convention in downtown Cleveland July 20, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    10 of 39
  • Eric Trump speaks on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    11 of 39
  • Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and Donald Trump Jr listen to Eric Trump on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    12 of 39
  • A delegate from Texas counts votes on the second day of the Republican National Convention, July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    13 of 39
  • A delegate at the Republican National Convention on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    14 of 39
  • A delegate from Alaska show his support for Trump at the Republican National Convention on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    15 of 39
  • Two men, protesting a religious group in the Cleveland Public Square, while police officers observe the demonstrations on July 19, 2016 outside of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    16 of 39
  • A police officer stands guard in the Cleveland Public Square, July 19, 2016 outside of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    17 of 39
  • A po Trump supporter amid preparations for start of the Republican National Convention in downtown Cleveland on July 17, 2016
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    18 of 39
  • Political Merchandise sold outside the Republican National Convention, July 19, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    19 of 39
  • Kenneth Lane from Long Island, New York at a pro Trump Rally on July 18, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    20 of 39
  • Security forces outside the Quicken Loans Arena on the second day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio on July 19, 2016.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    21 of 39
  • Trevor Leis, of Lime OH, supports open carry and the ammo clip of his AR-15 is laser engraved with the constitution. Leis showed up at the Cleveland public square to demonstrate along with hundreds of other protesters representing numerous agendas and beliefs on July 19, 2016.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    22 of 39
  • Supporters of Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    23 of 39
  • Donald Trump supporter at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    24 of 39
  • Patriotic apparel at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    25 of 39
  • Chris Fred at pro Trump Rally on July 18, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    26 of 39
  • Man at a pro Trump Rally on July 18, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    27 of 39
  • Donald Trump, left, kisses his wife Melania during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, on Monday, July 18, 2016.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    28 of 39
  • Attendee on the floor of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Monday, July 18, 2016.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    29 of 39
  • A festive Trump hat at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Monday, July 20, 2016.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    30 of 39
  • Star spangled shoes at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Monday, July 18, 2016.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    31 of 39
  • Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani delivers a speech on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 18, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    32 of 39
  • A pro gun supporter on the third day of the Republican National Convention, July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    33 of 39
  • A Trump fashion statement at the Republican National Convention on July 22, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for Time—Benjamin Lowy
    34 of 39
  • Patriotic glasses on a Trump supporter at the Republican National Convention on July 22, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    35 of 39
  • A patriotic fashion statement on the streets of downtown Cleveland, July 17, 2016.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    36 of 39
  • Protestors from Code Pink rally amid preparations for start of the Republican National Convention on July 17, 2016, in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    37 of 39
  • An attendee at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    38 of 39
  • But no moment at the Democratic convention will likely match the theatrical stagecraft of Donald Trump's entrance on the first night of the GOP convention to introduce his wife.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
    39 of 39
By Olivier Laurent and Paul Moakley

“I love and hate projects like the convention,” says Benjamin Lowy, one of three photographers on assignment for TIME at this year’s Republican National Convention. “It’s non-stop. You barely sleep and the logistics are daunting. But it’s also a time to realize that no matter how much people say they hate the media, we are the ones informing Americans. Letting them know what’s happening here.”

Lowy started his career as a conflict photographer, covering the war in Iraq in the pages of TIME magazine. For the last three days, however, he’s been photographing a different kind of battle – one of minds and ambitions as the Republican party gathered in Cleveland to nominate Donald Trump for President. He’s witnessed the mix of emotions – from the protests outside the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland to the battle of wits on stage as Senator Ted Cruz refused to endorse Trump.

Ben Lowy for TIME; Gif by Kenneth Bachor for TIME

This year, the majority of Lowy’s work is published first on social media platforms like Instagram. But the New Jersey-based photographer is used to it. In recent years, Lowy has always tried to stay ahead of the game, pushing himself in new directions with creative uses of technology. He was one of the early adopters of smartphone photography – Hipstamatic even named a filter after him – and he’s already experimented with 360-video and virtual reality.

Yet, he’s wary of not diluting what really matters: the news. “I’m currently sending images from my cameras straight to my phone and transmitting them from the convention floor in front of delegates,” he says. And while innovation and using technologies is a big part of the business of journalism today, Lowy is still committed to thoughtful storytelling.

Keep following @TIMElightbox on Instagram for the latest photos filed by our photographers.

Ben Lowy is an award winning photojournalist and director. You can see more of his work here.

More Must-Reads From TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com.

You May Also Like
Next Up: Editor's Pick
What America's Richest Ski Town's Handling of COVID-19 Shows
EDIT POST