Riveting Photos of the Inauguration: Valentine for a New President

As an expert on consumer culture, I'm always on the prowl for fresh insights into human behavior. Last week I had the opportunity to team up with award-winning photographer Catherine Karnow. She travels the globe photographing rare and often surprising aspects of world cultures.

She attended the inauguration and returned with these powerful photographs. Through Karnow's lens, we witness an emotional shift among Americans who attended the inauguration. It's a Valentine for President Obama. See for yourself what a "new day" looks like on the faces of average citizens.

Comments

[travelina]

Amazing slideshow, and a very moving story, especially about the reaction Catherine got from friends in Europe reacting to the photos. Thank you for this.

[Patricia Martin]

That, too! On most days, the last eight years felt like a long forced march.

[Dailyfare]

My guess would be that what people were shedding was not the "heaviness of racial tension" but Bush oppression.