My friend, neighbor, fellow photographer, and honorary OSA member Joe Sohm has spent the last few years collaborating with legendary composer Peter Boyer on a live concert series celebrating America’s 250th birthday. The concert combines Joe’s extraordinary imagery with Peter’s uplifting musical score. The production has been presented in major cities across the United States, beginning with a performance at the Kennedy Center earlier this year.

Joe and Peter recently produced a film version, narrated by Martin Sheen of The West Wing fame. The film had its world premiere at the Ojai Film Festival last night, just one day after the midterm elections, which brought an extraordinary number of Americans to the polls. The timing seemed particularly meaningful for a film celebrating our nation’s history and the people who have shaped it.

The combination of stunning visuals and beautiful music had the audience completely enthralled. We were reminded of the beauty of our landscapes and cities, our accomplishments as a nation, and, perhaps most importantly, the people—both extraordinary leaders and ordinary Americans—who have shaped our nation into what it is today.

I was honored when Joe asked me to photograph the event and capture a time-lapse and video. I must admit, I was a little apprehensive about taking on the assignment. After all, I’m not an event photographer. I spend most of my time photographing landscapes and the night sky! But Joe encouraged me, and I discovered that it was easier than I had imagined.

I’ve attached a cell phone photo of the Q&A session. Not exactly professional quality, lol, but it captures a wonderful evening!