In the brief moments that I was snapping away during this rare glimpse, what struck me on a personal level was Obama’s ability to engage with pretty much anyone he was introduced to, from young children to the elderly, on most topics. One moment he was chatting with young kids about their favourite drawings and then he switched almost instantly into a more sophisticated chat about health care policy and the economy with local campaign officials. Within a few minutes, Obama left it all behind and took to the stage to deliver a rousing speech and whipped the crowd of thousands up into a frenzy of enthusiasm, trying to cheer him on to victory.

I transmitted more than 50 news photos of Senator Obama on Monday October 27th, a day which included a major policy speech described by the campaign as Obama’s “closing argument” of the campaign, another major campaign rally and a visit to a local campaign field office. But my favorite pictures were of course those quieter more rare images that I made behind the scenes, from the senator signing the dozens of books owned by supporters, or walking alone backstage towards the rally, or sharing a light moment with local officials in a holding room. As this almost two year long election campaign kicks into high gear in its final days, we may not get another chance to experience more of those fleeting private moments with the two major candidates, but I am glad that Reuters and I got this rare opportunity with just one week to go before America elects a new president.