Downing covers the floor for State of the Union

There is no more intense job and no more respected assignment than to be the one news photographer allowed to work on the floor of the House of Representatives during the President’s State of the Union Message. Last Tuesday, that job went to Larry Downing of Reuters. There was no better photographer to do this difficult assignment than Larry Downing. Larry began his career in California, then to UPI in Washington, then NEWSWEEK, and finally a staff position in the Reuters Photo bureau in Washington, DC.

Every good news photographer in this country knows that Larry Downing is a tough competitor. A man who will best your pictures everytime, but someone who is a fun person to be around.

Young photographers, if you want someone to learn from, look at Larry Downing’s photographs.

But wait, Larry’s longs days are not through yet. Just look at his schedule this week. Tuesday night, the floor photographer at the State of the Union. Wednesday morning up at the crack of dawn to get on Air Force One–a long day, Thursday, another dawn Air Force One call and a hard day of work, Friday all day at the White House.