senator

Photographer Appalled by Senator’s Misuse of Afghan Policewoman Photo for ‘Ban the Burka’ Campaign

Having one of your photos used by an Australian senator without permission would probably upset you as is, but what if that photo was used in a way that you believed "desecrated" the memory of the subject in the picture?

That's the situation Canadian photographer Lana Slezic recently found herself in when she saw her photo of Lt Col Malalai Kakar -- Afghanistan's first female policewoman who was killed by the Taliban in 2008 -- being used by Senator Jacqui Lambie to push a "Ban the Burka" campaign.

Photographer and Senator Patrick Leahy Talks About His Passion for Photography

Vermont senator Patrick Leahy is a lot of things: an expert marksman, the most senior senator on Capitol Hill, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and third line for the presidency, just to name a few. But even though he's had as successful of a political career as a Senator might ever hope to have, if you ask him what he would like to do full-time, he'll tell you photography.

For years now, the aging senator has made a name for himself as the senator who you never see without his camera. And although we've shown you his work in the past, in the video above, Leahy himself weighs in on his work and photography in general.

Vermont Senator Doubles as an Amateur Photographer, Takes Photos Others Can’t

There aren't many ways to get intimate access to the behind-the-scenes of government as a photog. Your best option is probably to try and snag a spot as the official White House photographer, but those jobs are hard to come by. A senator from Vermont, however, has found another way: get a day job as a Senator and moonlight as an amateur photographer.