Dr. Ben Carson in our nation's Capitol

I had the great honor of photographing Dr. Ben Carson and his wife, Candy Carson, in Washington, DC. As a world-renowned neurosurgeon, active philanthropist, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Presidential nominee, "accomplished" doesn't seem to do him justice. But, he's so humble, you'd never know.

We started on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the very steps that famously elevated Martin Luther King Jr. as he spoke “I Have a Dream” on Aug. 28, 1963 to 200,000 Americans. We spoke about the significance and impact of MLK and our founding fathers as we looked on at the Washington Monument and across the Tidal Basin at the Jefferson Memorial.

Though I photograph a lot of couples for surprise proposals, engagements, weddings, and family shoots, I don't often capture couples who have been together for nearly 50 years. Married in 1975 after meeting at Yale, these two posed together as naturally as they did individually. They shared their secret; it's about always supporting and wanting the best for each other. When Dr. Carson went to Johns Hopkins Children's Center (to become the youngest director of pediatric neurosurgery in the nation, to this day) Candy was thriving in tandem. She earned her MBA at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

I couldn't help but laugh at the male and female duck that seemed to mirror them in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

A group of middle school and high school student approached Dr. Carson and Candy asking for a photo. In line with the day, they began chatting with the students about American history, specifically, the principles that ignited the American Revolution.

Preparing to wrap up, we began walking toward the vehicle and a bicyclist stopped and yelled, "Dr. Carson!?" She hopped off her bike and wheeled it over, "My son is a Carson Scholar; your scholarship helped him go to college! It's an honor to tell you in person."

(Dr. Carson and Candy founded The Carson Scholars Fund, Inc. in 1994 to address the education crisis in the United States, awarding scholarships to students recognized by their teachers as scholars.)

They asked about her son and Dr. Carson shared how his mother had also been his main motivator to be an active reader and life-long student. Read his book Gifted Hands or watch the movie adaptation on Netflix starring Cuba Gooding Jr. for the whole, incredible story!

We also popped into the headquarters of his non-profit organization, the American Cornerstone Institute, for more formal headshots to be used for his upcoming book, podcast, and other philanthropic organizations.

Knowing the importance of religion in Dr. Carson's personal and professional life, I asked him if he had his bible for a few intimate shots of him reading and holding it in his gifted hands. He was very thoughtful about the passages he requested be photographed.

Overall, it was an incredible afternoon spent with a lovely couple. Dr. Carson just also happens to also be an American hero and icon.