I had always pictured in my mind exactly how I would portray President Clinton in my ideal portrait of him: His hands are incredible; they must be an important part of the image. He has always needed a vision to seek; that must show in his eyes. And, naturally, I will get him at his best angle. But, while I had already photographed Hillary Clinton and Chelsea in the White House and the President in Martha’s Vineyard, the call during his presidency never came.

I was invited to follow him during the first Clinton Initiative. At one point during the proceedings, I found myself in a makeshift TV studio during a televised panel discussion headed by Christiane Amanpour. They had just started a commercial break, and a makeup woman was heading toward the President. He stopped talking, and made himself available to her. In that second before she started fussing over him, I got my dream portrait. I have photographed the President since, but this remains my favorite.