One of my goals was to have the video not just portray but to embody Barack Obama's energy and the values in the campaign. One of the first ideas for images that came to me was "lightning." When I heard Barack speak in Santa Fe (February 1) it was as if I were struck by a bolt of lightning as to who he was and what his purpose is: "The right leader for our time." I remembered that a photographer colleague had a lightning image on his business card, and made a mental note to call him. A few days later, I was chatting with church pastor Eva Gonzalez, who mentioned there is a figure in the Bible (Old Testament/Judges) named Barak; knowing Biblical names have translations, we looked up Barak. There were several translations, one of which was – you guessed it – lightning! I called Steve Walenta the next day, shared the project story, and he gave us permission to use his fabulous lightning image that we see in the video.
Horses. Beauty, grace, power. Nobility and freedom. Swiftness and precision in movement/action. Strong yet gentle. Deeply caring. Throughout history, horses have consistently transported humans into new realms and broader capacities - ie. giving us new range in being able to travel greater distances than we could on foot; reflecting and teaching us about who we are in invisible (emotional, spiritual) realms. Horses are bridges between worlds, a role related to Barack Obama's at this time in our history. (An excellent Atlantic.com article speaks of Barack as a "bridge between worlds" - see article on Links and Resources page of www.ChooseToUnite.com.) Sean Sauber contributed the beautiful horse clip in the video - wild mustangs who, in unity, run together with lasared strength, focus, and momentum toward their destination.
Sharing a YouTube comment: "LOVED this creation! Cried, laughed, got chillbumps from head to toe, and I was electrified! Totally enthralled...with the way this incorporates ALL THE BEST of our President Obama! GOBAMA YES, WE CAN!"
