President Donald Trump's third year in office started amid the longest government shutdown in US history.
It ended with him as the third president ever to be impeached.
"Previous administrations usually slow down and get into a bit of a routine — especially after the first year," Associated Press photographer Susan Walsh told CNN. "But this administration has kept us busy and on our toes and making sure we are prepared for anything."
Saul Loeb, a photographer with Agence France-Presse, has covered the last three administrations.
"With President Trump, you never know what's going to happen — expect the unexpected," he said. "You have to be ready at a moment's notice for any surprise press coverage, as he actually loves having the media around during his events. There are lots of times when we'll anticipate covering just a few minutes at the beginning of a meeting, only to end up photographing the entire thing."
These are the most memorable photos we've seen from the President's third year. Many of them were taken by journalists who cover the White House on a daily basis.
"Despite the cries of 'fake news,' I think that photojournalism is in a real golden age," said Chip Somodevilla, a photographer with Getty Images. "Many talented and hard-working photographers have been creating a visually sophisticated and compelling record of this incredibly tumultuous time in DC. History is being made here, and we are right on the front lines."


"The two men gave their prepared remarks in rather upbeat fashion," remembers Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst. "As the session wore on and reporters posed tougher questions, though, President Zelensky's body language became more resigned. At the moment this photo was taken, the two men are sitting quietly in thought while an interpreter delivers translated remarks and Zelensky steals a quick glance at Trump."
Trump's phone call with Zelensky is at the center of a whistleblower scandal that led to him becoming the third president in US history to be impeached. The House has charged him with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong in his phone call with Zelensky.

When Pablo Martinez Monsivais took the photo, the sun was directly behind the President, facing the press corps.
"I had no idea I made this image, because the sun beating down on me made it impossible to review the back of my camera to even check if I was in focus," said Monsivais, the Associated Press' assistant chief of bureau for photography in Washington. "When I got back inside and I was doing a second edit, this image popped out and I didn't believe it. I even went up to a competitor to make sure it really did happen. ...
"It is an exciting time to be following politics in Washington, and just when I thought I have seen it all, something like this photo happens and I'm surprised."


"As we were waiting near the stage for the President to emerge, I noticed that they had arranged a brightly lit American flag in the background of the doorway that he would be entering the arena from," Reuters photographer Leah Millis said. "I figured their lighting setup would silhouette him, going for that 'rock star coming on stage' look."
Trump formally launched his reelection campaign in June.

"I used to cover a ton of sports, so when the hats started flying, my sports photography skills took over, trying to get timing, expression and composition just right," Associated Press photographer Susan Walsh said. "I was very happy to get this photo since it captured a good expression and good timing."

Photographer Erin Scott said the press corps "did not expect him to be carrying paperwork, as it's very rare that he carries anything at all. As he gestured, I spotted what looked like notes in his own handwriting, and became incredibly curious about it. I decided to stay focused on Trump's hand and the notes instead of everything else, waiting for the chance to see what he was holding.
"Several people have asked me if I was doing something dramatic like sneaking around a corner to get this image, but I was right in front of him the whole time, simply prepared when he gestured in a way that revealed the notes. I think they provided a greater understanding of how he is processing his impeachment."


"We found out at the last minute during a visit to South Korea that President Trump would be visiting the demilitarized zone and meeting with Kim," said Erin Schaff, a photographer with The New York Times.

"Minutes after the event ended, I looked at my Twitter and I was already receiving alerts," Reuters photographer Carlos Barria said. "People were retweeting the image and creating memes with it. This shows how a simple interaction that occurs in a flash can immediately go viral. It also underscores how even in a crowd of photographers focused on the same subjects, there are opportunities to capture something unique."

"I was genuinely surprised when Trump embraced him, and looking at the photo again, I think the others in the frame were as well," Associated Press photographer Patrick Semansky said. "The sense among the photographers around me was, 'Did that really just happen?'
"My mom texted me after she saw the photo somewhere and said 'you really hit it out of the ballpark,' along with a baseball emoji."

"Each of his arena rallies has a pretty similar setup and he tends to repeat the same gestures as he walks out at each one, so you have to constantly be watching for something a little different," Agence France-Press photographer Saul Loeb said.

"The picture all photographers wanted was the two of them," said Olivier Douliery, a photographer with Agence France-Presse. "In a difficult setup with a lot of guests around, it was nearly impossible to get a good angle.
"The moment came after she introduced him to speak, and the shadow of the President appeared behind her."




Reuters videographer Andrew Hofstetter was following Thunberg that day.
"My eyes and camera were focused on Greta while my ears listened for the President," he said. "I then heard Trump enter — it's more like a commotion that surrounds the President! I zoomed out while racking focus and included Trump in my shot. It was very quick. No time to think. Knee-jerk reaction. I then continued focusing attention on the President and his remarks, never realizing I had captured a viral moment."

This photo was taken by Associated Press photographer Susan Walsh from the top of the Lincoln Memorial.
"I was really excited to be able to photograph from this position," Walsh said. "I have covered many events in my 20+ years in Washington, but making photos from the top of the Lincoln Memorial was a first."


"Trump has set a new precedent by using his Marine One departures on the South Lawn as mini press conferences," said Jabin Botsford, a photographer with The Washington Post. "He's been in the press briefing room once, but it's on the lawn where journalists can ask questions.
"Of course, that makes this moment extra crazy for all of us. You have TV, photojournalists, reporters and correspondents, all huddled as close as possible. Add to this that Trump was headed to the NATO summit mid-House impeachment trials and that it was a particularly dark and rainy day, and you've got a perfect storm.
"We shoot a lot of the same stuff at the White House, so I'm always trying to find a new way to see it all. To get this, I took a risk and positioned myself in to the side under some reporters that often get questions and banked on him stopping to talk. Thankfully he did, and with the right catch of light this picture happened."

"We usually transmit pictures to our news clients almost directly from our cameras during White House events — and in this case our pictures were published while the President continued to answer questions on a range of subjects," Reuters photographer Jonathan Ernst said. "Even before we made our way back to the press area, social media were already making pretty quick work of the controversial marks on the map."


"I covered the last two weeks of the President's 2016 campaign and have been steadily covering his time at the White House," said Chip Somodevilla, a Getty Images photographer. "The president really likes having his picture taken, and that has been good for us as photojournalists. He is very confident in front of the lens, and that has created a White House where the photo ops are more frequent and last longer than they were in previous administrations."





