Every four years | Scene Through the Lens

Donald Trump becomes the 47th president of the United State today.

He’s been there before. And so have I.

After Trump decided to take the oath of office in the Capitol Rotunda today, I can’t help but recall covering my first presidential inauguration forty years ago, the last time a polar vortex prompted a similar decision. It’s the first time the ceremony won’t take place outside of the Capitol since 1985 when Ronald Reagan moved his second swearing-in ceremony indoors.

It was really cold then.

I was part of a team of four staff photographer that day, assigned to cover the parade, which was cancelled. Of Reagan’s decision to cancel the parade and move ceremonies indoors, the White House press secretary Larry Speakes told reporters then, “the medical people told them that exposed areas would freeze in less than five minutes, with wind-chill factors like this.” The low temperature in Washington that day minus 3 degrees, before dawn and the high for the day reached only 17 degrees at 4:45 p.m.

Since 1998 a black-and-white photo has appeared every Monday in staff photographer Tom Gralish’s “Scene Through the Lens” photo column in the print editions of The Inquirer’s local news section. Here are the most recent, in color: