I had just arrived in the National Mall for the first time, and I found myself overwhelmed with the immensity of the Lincoln Memorial. It was not only that the architecture itself was a lot to take in, but the clamor of the crowd around the memorial, the ice cold water vendors barking out their prices and wiping sweat from their foreheads--it was all so impressive. I felt like I had to capture the moment: in one aspect, a pilgrimage to an almost holy landmark, and all the while, there are still American citizens that can always find opportunity wherever they may need it; in this case, three water vendors who have been out in the D.C heat for who knows how long, standing before a memorial dedicated to a President who, more than most before and after him, fought for the principles and American ideals that the vendors display in this photograph.