People speak out both for and against U.S. healthcare reform at a town hall meeting in Reston, Virginia.

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photos by Brian Snyder, Boston Globe image by Jim Bourg, remote camera

In a never-ending quest for the illusive "different" photo Reuters set up remote-controlled cameras at Sen. Barack Obama's historic acceptance speech in Invesco Field at Mile High in Denver.At any major event we need to provide our clients with what we call "the bread and butter" photos - the pictures that tell the story in a very straightforward way and will end up in history books someday. But in addition to that what we really want to shoot are just very cool images - pictures that grab you by the throat and scream at you in the face or sometimes more subtle images you look at for awhile before you "get it."

Occasionally one of the best ways to get these killer pictures is to put a camera where you cannot physically be, like in the dirt at a horse track (see previous blog by Jason Reed at the Preakness) or in a secure zone at a campaign event where security just does not want to let you stand. Such was the case in Denver for the Obama speech.

Photographers Brian Snyder, myself and editor Jim Bourg hung 4 remotes at the event,one on each side of the ramp he walked in on, one high up to capture him surrounded by the crowd and another in a head-on reverse spot. I triggered the ramp remotes wired to a switch triggered by my foot and I and photographer Brian Snyder fired the upper ones with radio controls. I used the foot switch as I was shooting three other cameras hand held.    We've done this type of thing for many years and in most cases we pull the memory cards from the cameras immediately after the event to get them on the wire.

But at the Obama speech time was of the essence with the event coming right on east coast deadlines so we went one better and set the cameras up to automatically transmit the images real time as they were fired. We were "going live" as TV types used to say.

We did this with some software tricks and ultra-portable PC's connected to the cameras by either a firewire or USB cables depending on the camera model. The computers were also connected to the Internet with an Ethernet connection our techs wired to each camera position.

As the shutter was triggered, the image was stored on the internal card and simultaneously put into a folder  in the computers stashed under the stage. A piece of Reuters proprietary software was watching that folder and automatically sent a thumbnail of the pictures to a server in New York whenever an image was transferred by the camera.

Editor Jim Bourg sitting up in the press box at the event was dialed into that server to watch the thumbnails come in and when he saw something he liked he "pulled" the full-size high-res version of the file off the PCs and from there it was on the wire, often within minutes of being made.

Whenever you set up remotes the stars have to line up just right to get the image you are hoping for. In the case of Denver we were expecting the candidate to be brightly lit with spotlights and we aimed the cameras to capture what we were told would be a fantastic fireworks show erupting over his head.  Neither really happened as advertised but we still got some unique images our competition could not match. Photos editors noticed with one of the best examples being the Boston Globe using one of Jim's pictures taking up most of the top of the front page the next day.

Here's hoping for more good camera karma.

A  simple and graphically pleasing image of Sen. McCain walking out on stage.

Caption: Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) waves prior to giving his acceptance speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 4, 2008. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

A flower held by a demonstrator to the baton wielding riot police, adds welcome color and contrast.

Caption: A protester holds a flower out to riot police outside the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 4, 2008. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

Image of the nominee rim lit against a black background makes a nice portrait.

Caption:  Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) arrives to accept the nomination
at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 4, 2008. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

After Gov. Palin's speech which kept most attendees on their feet, she was greeted on stage with her family as expected.   Here we have a nice moment of her holding her infant son Trig on stage.

Caption: Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Governor Sarah Palin hugs her son Trig onstage after her address to the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 3, 2008. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

News of Gov. Palin's 17 yr-old daughter Bristol pregnant with boyfriend Levi's baby has resulted in much controversy. The engaged couple have been seen holding hands since we've seen them together, here in a nice moment with youngest Palin daughter Piper.

Caption: Levi Johnston (C) sits with his girlfriend Bristol Palin (R) and her sister Piper Palin, the daughters of vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin, at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 3, 2008. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

A really nice reflection image produced by lighting the subjects being reflected in the stage front.

Caption: Delegates are reflected in the front of the stage as they applaud former Republican presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani as he speaks during the third session of the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 3, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

This image is a perfect illulstration of just how passionate Giuliani's speech and delivery was.

Caption: Former Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani speaks at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, September 3, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Segar

President Bush was unable to attend the RNC as originally planned, but instead he appears much larger than life on the huge screen addressing the convention live from the White House while first lady Laura Bush walks accross the stage at left.

Caption: U.S. first lady Laura Bush leaves the stage after introducing her husband, President George W. Bush, who spoke from the White House via satellite on a big screen to the 2008 Republican National Convention, in St Paul, Minnesota September 2, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Sen. McCain's military service is no secret to the country and his campaign, and here the use of the large screen and impact of a familiar image of McCain as a POW, work to illustrate his service while former Sen. Fred Thompson speaks.

Caption: Former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson (R-TN) speaks, with a picture of Republican presidential nominee John McCain behind him, at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St Paul, Minnesota, September 2, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Segar

A simple yet eye-catching image of a demonstrator's fist with blurred police in riot gear has lots of impact without showing violence or chaos.  With more depth of field this image would have had a very different feeling and may not have been nearly as effective.

Caption: A demonstrator raises his fist in protest in front of lines of riot police during protests that turned violent outside the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, September 2, 2008. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

The RNC was off to a slow start on Monday as Pres. Bush did not speak as planned due to Hurricane Gustav, but the protesters showed up in full force, as many as 10, 000 showed off their artful slogans which made for colorful eye-catching images.

Caption: Demonstrators march during a rally to the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, September 1, 2008. REUTERS/Eric Miller

Hurricane Gustav story was illustrated all the up in St. Paul, MN with an image showing the empty seats of the Louisana delegates who returned to their home state to focus on the storm and its effects.

Caption: Rhode Island delegate Virginia Butterworth looks at empty Louisiana delegation seats at the start of the first session at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota September 1, 2008. REUTERS/Jim Young

Remote camera: With all the hundreds of photographers and thousands upon thousands of images captured on this night, one would think it would be impossible to get this exclusive angle. But not for Reuters. Preparing for the moment weeks in advance, Jim Bourg, EIC for Reuters News Pictures in Washington and Denver photographer Rick Wilking obtained permission to place remote cameras on either side of the stage for the big event. Arriving at the stadium several days ahead of Barack Obama, Bourg, Wilking and Boston photographer Brian Snyder secured cameras on metal bars projecting out from the stage, one of which captured this image as Sen. Obama walked out to greet the crowd. The unmanned camera was triggered by Wilking from his position on a camera stand in the crowd and the images were fed live as they were captured into a laptop under the stage and subsequently transmitted over the internet to an editors workstation via Reuters editing software called Paneikon. A full description and photos of the remote set up will be available here in the days to come.

Caption: U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) acknowledges supporters as he addresses the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado August 28, 2008. REUTERS/Jim Bourg This photo appeared on the front of the Boston Globe Friday, as well as many other places.

Emotions run high on final convention nights, but none seem as unscripted as Sen. Biden in this image. We rarely get to see Senators or vice presidential candidates with the excitement of a kid in a candy store.

Caption: U.S. Democratic vice presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) cheers as he stands with his wife Jill (C) and Michelle Obama (R), wife of his running mate, Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado August 28, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Segar

Family always plays an important role in politics. Obama is in the spot light as he walks to greet his family immediately after delivering his acceptance speech in this nicely lit image.

Caption: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (D-IL) walks to his wife Michelle (C) and children Malia (L) and Sasha (R)
after his speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado August 28, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Gary Cameron remarks "Bill kisses the Clinton political machine goodbye or, more likely, puts it on hold for 4 to 8 years."

Caption: Former U.S. President Bill Clinton blows a kiss to delegates at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado August 27, 2008. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj

I like that this image shows the viewer what the crowd is like at the convention, especially the sea of photographers in front of the stage.

Caption: Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, (L) (D-IL) stands with his vice presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) after Biden addressed the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, August 27, 2008. REUTERS/Larry Downing

Public display of affection is quite popular at conventions, and this is a particularly nice moment.

Caption: Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) kisses his wife Jill after his acceptance speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado, August 27, 2008. REUTERS/Larry Downing

Caption: U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) gestures from the stage at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado August 26, 2008. REUTERS/Chris Wattie

One of the most expressive faces seen of Sen. Clinton, as she interacts with the crowd following what many say may have been the most important speech of her life. With the deafening cheers from the audience, we are reminded how passionate Sen. Clinton's supporters are.

Caption: U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) addresses the 2008 Democratic National Convention as the audience cheers in Denver, Colorado, August 26, 2008. REUTERS/Eric Thayer

Caption: U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and his wife Nancy hold their 10-month-old twins William (L) and Ava (R) on the convention floor as Ava claps for Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius during her address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado August 26, 2008. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Only 17 more years until they can vote in the US elections!

Opening night of the DNC in Denver proved to be moving when U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy appeared unexpectedly in his first public appearance in over a month, in support of Sen. Barack Obama. Kennedy, diagnosed with brain cancer in May, was clearly in his element on a familiar stage addressing the convention in an emotional speech. These photos clearly show Kennedy's passion, emotion and conviction.

Caption for both photos:

U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) gestures on stage at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado August 25, 2008. REUTERS/Rick Wilking (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)