Behind the Cover: Interview With the Photographer of the Trump Image

Early Saturday evening, a series of photos and videos depicting a shocking moment appeared across our digital screens– the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally. 

Frame-by-frame, we saw Trump, 78, first grab his head with an expression of confusion as gunshots rang out. Then, photos of Secret Service agents piling on top of Trump behind the podium in front of a crowd of confused onlookers. Followed by images of the swift movement of Trump, blanketed by personnel, off the stage. And then the now-iconic images of Trump with his fist raised, blood smeared on his face, and an American flag rippling behind him. Various iterations of these images, taken by several photojournalists, continue to be shared. 

One of those photographs, taken by Associated Press photojournalist Evan Vucci, was chosen to appear on the cover of TIME. The historical significance, the clear composition, the undeniable tension, all appearing in a singular image of an event that stunned the world.

Here’s what Vucci has to say about the moment. The interview has been lightly edited for clarity.

On the preparation 

It was Vucci’s past experiences that prepared him to capture this iconic image, he said. Vucci, who has been with the AP for almost 21 years, has covered everything from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, to the Trump presidency, to Super Bowls, to the protests following the death of George Floyd, in which his team was awarded the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography.

“It was a situation where that vast experience absolutely does [prepare you]. To have that experience behind you sort of allows you to remain calm. It wasn't the first time I was in that situation. So I was able to keep my head, I was able to think. I was able to compose pictures. I think all of us were there and we just stayed in the moment, stayed on the story. In my head, I just kept saying to myself, ‘slow down, slow down. Compose, compose.’ Okay, what's gonna happen next? What's going on here? What's going on there? Just trying to get every angle on it.’”

On the moments after the shots were fired

Initially, Vucci was photographing from the back of the photographer buffer area in front of the rally stage with his long lens. As soon as he heard gunshots, he sprang into action. “I knew right away what it was. So my first thing is like, ‘Okay, I gotta get to the stage.’” Vucci moved closer with his wide angle lens and captured pictures while thinking ahead, including anticipating what route the Secret Service would take to remove Trump from the situation. As Vucci sprinted to the other side of the stage, Trump started to stand and pump his fists. Vucci ran to the corner of the stairs while Trump and his team were preparing to exit the stage and took the photos that have now been shared widely. 

On Trump throwing his fists in the air

“In the moment it's weird because your brain is basically shut off. You're just thinking about, ‘Okay, what's my composition, or where’s light coming from? Is my exposure good?’ Do I need to move to the right? Do I need to move to the left?’ Because you got to be able to see his face. So when he started pumping his fist, I was surprised. And then I saw the blood on his face. And then I knew once I saw that, I knew I had at least a news storytelling image. I knew I had something. So I felt good. At least something was in the bag.”

On the technical process

Vucci’s cameras were tethered to a hotspot connection, so while all of this was happening, he’s able to click a button and instantly send photos from his camera to his editors. “Today, the [media] landscape is all about speed, so all still photographers that shoot news are doing the same sort of process. Something will happen in front of my lens, and it'll be on the AP wire within a minute or two.” Once Trump left, the media were pulled into a tent, and Vucci finally had a chance to look through his photos and send everything he took to his editors.

On whether this changes his approach this election season

“The job always remains the same. You're just trying to make different pictures, just trying to keep pushing the story forward. I think maybe the news value of this [Republican National] Convention may have increased a little bit or the interest might have increased a little bit, but it doesn't change, I don't think, a photographer’s approach to it.”

On his photos being widely seen

Vucci’s images, and the images of several other photojournalists, have been shared widely across the globe. Numerous news organizations have already started assessing the impact of these photographs. 

“It's crazy, because everyone keeps asking me about it. But I've been so busy, I haven't really been paying attention to it. My social media is basically just turned off, because it's like, thousands of messages. I can't keep up with any of it. And I'm just getting a bunch of interview requests and stuff. I’m trying to do the convention right now, so I don’t have time to do any of this.

“I haven't had a chance to really think about any of that stuff. But apparently, the photo is pretty viral.”

On seeing his photo on TIME’s cover

“I work for AP. You know, we have a long history of photojournalism. And so I think when you're at this level, and something like this happens to you, you're able to react a certain way and expect[ed] to produce. I was just thankful that I was able to hold that standard.”

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On the public’s reactions to his images

“That’s the other thing that's awesome about photography, is two people can look at the exact same image and have completely different reactions to it. My job as a photojournalist is to show you the world through my eyes. I try to do it to the best of my ability, I try to be professional, I try to be as fair as I can be. So as far as how people view the images and how they market it, and how they use it for their own point of views, that's none of my concern. My concern is that when that incident happened, I felt like I did a really good job showing you a key moment in American history.