Anna Moneymaker, SOC/BA ’18, planned to study international relations at AU—but then another passion came into focus.

The Albuquerque native had enjoyed photography since she picked up a Fujifilm point-and-shoot as a high school freshman. When she learned about Photo Collective during AU’s Student Involvement Fair, she jumped at the chance to continue honing her craft.

“They were giving out assignments—basketball games, protests, speakers—so I tried to cover everything I could,” said Moneymaker, who joined journalism professor Jane Hall in conversation on March 20 as part of the School of Communication’s American Forum series. “Being in Photo Collective was my education.” 

After graduating with a film and media studies degree, Moneymaker turned an internship with The Hill into a job with The New York Times, covering the White House and Capitol Hill. In 2021, she joined Getty Images’ DC bureau.

She was on assignment in July 2024 at then candidate Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when she heard what sounded like fireworks. A split second later, when she realized they weren’t, Moneymaker told herself, “This is history—just photograph what’s in front of you.”

The image she captured of a stunned and bloodied Trump, framed through the legs of a Secret Service agent, was named one of the 10 best photos of the year by Time magazine. Former White House photographer Pete Souza said on social media that Moneymaker’s shot will be the one that lives on in the history books, as it captured Trump in a rare moment of vulnerability.

But Moneymaker shrugged off the praise. 

Focusing too much on the shots you got—or the ones you missed—can impede your ability to capture the next one, she said. “I just try to be a witness.”