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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his family listen to speeches on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • 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
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  • Eric Trump speaks on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
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  • 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.
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  • 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
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  • A delegate at the Republican National Convention on July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
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  • 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
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  • 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.
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  • A police officer stands guard in the Cleveland Public Square, July 19, 2016 outside of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • A po Trump supporter amid preparations for start of the Republican National Convention in downtown Cleveland on July 17, 2016
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  • Political Merchandise sold outside the Republican National Convention, July 19, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • Kenneth Lane from Long Island, New York at a pro Trump Rally on July 18, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • Security forces outside the Quicken Loans Arena on the second day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio on July 19, 2016.
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  • 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
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  • Supporters of Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • Donald Trump supporter at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • Patriotic apparel at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • Chris Fred at pro Trump Rally on July 18, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • Man at a pro Trump Rally on July 18, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • Donald Trump, left, kisses his wife Melania during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, on Monday, July 18, 2016.
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  • Attendee on the floor of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Monday, July 18, 2016.
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  • A festive Trump hat at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Monday, July 20, 2016.
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  • Star spangled shoes at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S., on Monday, July 18, 2016.
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  • 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.
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  • A pro gun supporter on the third day of the Republican National Convention, July 20, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • A Trump fashion statement at the Republican National Convention on July 22, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • Patriotic glasses on a Trump supporter at the Republican National Convention on July 22, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
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  • A patriotic fashion statement on the streets of downtown Cleveland, July 17, 2016.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
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  • 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
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  • An attendee at the Republican National Convention on July 19, 2016, at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
    Ben Lowy for TIME
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  • 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
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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.

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Contact us at letters@time.com.

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