# 1,474 Megapixel Photo of Obama's inauguration **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 30, 2009, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755 "2009-01-30T19:01:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/21 "2009-01-30T21:21:04Z")
One of the judges (based on a quick Googling, I think it’s Clarence Thomas?) right behind Obama is asleep. Which is odd, because this is the first black president, and all, and the judge is a black man. A few rows behind him, just above the seam and to the left, appears to be Emperor Palpatine. Not only is there a floating hat in front of Aretha Franklin, but she appears to have eaten the top of someone’s head off. Perhaps to get a better view? Near the staircase to the left of Obama is a soldier with a shaved head and a pair of those behind-the-head earmuffs and he looks very bizarre to me. A woman in the top left balcony appears to be taking a picture of the people who took _this_ picture. This is so much fun! ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/22 "2009-01-30T21:29:56Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Drats, can’t do a screen grab. > > If you look at the bottom right of the picture, there’s a concrete wall intersecting the metal railing. Zoom into the police officer standing in front of the wall. See the woman in the black jacket with the camera that has a big lens? Anne Leibowitz. > > If you look about three rows in front of the police officer, there’s a guy with gray hair and a dark coat grabbing his head. I believe that’s Dustin Hoffman. > > (I know a guy who sat in that section who saw both of them.) What’s up with that ancient camera on the tripod right behind the police officers? That thing is a collector’s item. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/23 "2009-01-30T21:39:18Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Incredibly cool. > > But check out the lower right. Along the low fence that runs diagonally through the picture and just below the rightmost legs of the tower.Disembodied legs! That’s no mistake. That’s Joe the Plumber fading back into obscurity. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/24 "2009-01-30T22:20:45Z")
Check out Yo-yo Ma’s cello! And Perlman. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/25 "2009-01-30T22:42:42Z")
A good friend of my wife was there and sat next to John Cusack. I’m going to send this to her and see if she can find herself. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/26 "2009-01-30T22:46:58Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > What is that figure (bronze?) on the very top of the Capitol? Cthulhu!!! ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/27 "2009-01-30T22:56:02Z")
I found Waldo. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/28 "2009-01-30T23:03:14Z")
Cool picture, I happen to own the same camera ( Canon G10) this was taken with and have been pleasantly surprised at how good the image quality is. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/29 "2009-01-31T00:57:48Z")
There is a guy on the other side of the wall from Leibowitz and about a dozen people down the row, who looks like he’s wearing a yellow sleeping bag. And an Air Force cap. I found a half-a-guy, and a pair of legs from the knee down. A couple hugging each other (awwww!) Several (students?) taking notes. A guy with a Middle Eastern headdress. I _think_ I see one of our senators, Bennie Thompson. Maybe not. Pretty dang neat. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/30 "2009-01-31T01:16:59Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Incredibly cool. > > But check out the lower right. Along the low fence that runs diagonally through the picture and just below the rightmost legs of the tower.Disembodied legs! The officer looks like he’s looking at them as if they’re really there and they’re confusing him. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/31 "2009-01-31T03:23:01Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > That’s no mistake. That’s Joe the Plumber fading back into obscurity. If only. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/32 "2009-01-31T04:03:06Z")
> [@Lionne](#): > > I like the floating hat in front of Aretha Franklin. That is Rick Warren. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/33 "2009-01-31T05:30:29Z")
John F. Kennedy supposedly didn’t wear a hat at his inauguration, and ushered in the era of men without hats (although Snopes documents that he in fact did wear a hat, its a lead-in, and I’m taking it). As I look at this really cool photo, I am struck by the butt-ugly hats these guys have on. I mean, really, it’s pretty much the most formal outdoor occasion you’ll ever attend, and you decide to wear a cowboy hat? a baseball cap? a toque? There’s a guy two seats on sleeping Thomas’ right who appears to be wearing a medieval monk’s cap. In the same wedge behind Obama is a baseball cap and a Greenbay toque. Bush Sr. is apparently wearing an entire lamb. Seriously. Can you movers-n-shakers of the political elite not go buy a proper hat? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/34 "2009-01-31T05:35:04Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > John F. Kennedy supposedly didn’t wear a hat at his inauguration, and ushered in the era of men without hats. [Really?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfhpp-4I60E&fmt=18) ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/35 "2009-01-31T05:46:35Z")
Who didn’t just waste 5-10 mins scanning the tops of the buildings to see if they could see any trained police snipers or anything on the lookout. (I think they’re on top of the domed building towards the top center, and back the picture… These two guys standing all alone up there… :shrug: ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/36 "2009-01-31T05:53:18Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I found Waldo. > [@Rigamarole](#): > > I found Waldo. I was nowhere near the place. ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/37 "2009-01-31T12:53:45Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > What’s up with that ancient camera on the tripod right behind the police officers? That thing is a collector’s item. That’s just a large format camera. [Here’s](http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/format.htm) some information on them. The author of said information occasionally has some interesting views, but his facts usually are pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/38 "2009-01-31T15:24:46Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > Bush Sr. is apparently wearing an entire lamb. \*Everything’s \*bigger in Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/39 "2009-01-31T15:38:09Z")
> [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](#): > > … Bush Sr. is apparently wearing an entire lamb. > … Where is Bush Sr? Is he in that same wedge with the Supreme Court? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755/40 "2009-01-31T16:57:57Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Drats, can’t do a screen grab. > > If you look at the bottom right of the picture, there’s a concrete wall intersecting the metal railing. Zoom into the police officer standing in front of the wall. See the woman in the black jacket with the camera that has a big lens? Anne Leibowitz. > > If you look about three rows in front of the police officer, there’s a guy with gray hair and a dark coat grabbing his head. I believe that’s Dustin Hoffman. > > (I know a guy who sat in that section who saw both of them.) No doubt you are right: [Dustin chatting to Annie](http://redeye.chicagotribune.com/ny-inaugurationstars-pg,0,2261656.photogallery?index=27) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1-474-megapixel-photo-of-obamas-inauguration/483755.md?page=3)