Covering commencement exercises at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy is a no-brainer, and The Day does it every year, whether the guest speaker is the president, vice president or somebody of lesser stature.

Our photographers always capture great visuals, from the iconic shots of white-clad cadets tossing their hats into the air to the more intimate closeups of local cadets and academy personnel.

This year, those photos wouldn't have happened without a fight.  

Twenty-four hours before President Joe Biden, this year's keynote speaker, was due to arrive in New London, White House advance staff member Amelia Berger notified us that only one "editorial reporter" was going to be allowed access to the event on Cadet Memorial Field.

"Additional cameras and/or still photographers are not permitted," the email said.

The Day's director of photography, Sean Elliot, told me he could have accepted the edict. But really, he couldn't.

Elliot sent an email expressing his "strenuous objection" to Berger and two other White House officials, with copies to still more officials, including Connecticut U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney.

"As the newspaper of record for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, it is a grave injustice to the Academy, the corps of cadets, the Academy family, and the New London community for The Day to not be allowed to visually document this important event," Elliot wrote.

"The Day covers the academy day in and day out. Our staff of visual journalists are intimately familiar with the faculty, staff and cadets," Elliot's email continued. "We are familiar with the traditions, the milestones, the four years of hard work that goes into graduating from the nation's smallest service academy, and as such are uniquely qualified to provide visual coverage for both the immediate community, and as a member of the Associated Press, to the entire nation."

It's personal for Elliot, and The Day, because we've always been there to capture great photos of Coast Guard Academy life, including Swab Summer and Billet Night and of cadets climbing the rigging of the training barque Eagle.

Elliot says the White House responded within less than a half-hour with an invitation for Day photographer Sarah Gordon to cover the graduation. While it's not clear exactly what changed their minds, we like to think they recognized that The Day really is the paper of record for the Coast Guard Academy. Elliot said Blumenthal's press secretary notified him that the senator's chief of staff called the White House as soon as they saw Elliot's email.

Gordon, who covered the commencement along with Day Staff Writer Erica Moser, captured all the local angles and nice moments, and even got a picture the other photographers might have missed, of Biden sticking his fingers in his mouth to whistle to cadets. She submitted 35 photos for a gallery on theday.com, and Elliot said, "I didn't for a minute consider cutting any of them out."

Gordon said she was the only local photojournalist at the event and the only member of the local media allowed unrestricted access during the event.

It was worth the fight.

Day Publisher Timothy Dwyer said The Day has a good relationship with the Coast Guard Academy, noting we've recently collaborated on some projects, such as a Conversation on Race in February 2020 that drew 1,000 people to Leamy Hall. Dwyer said he's happy those in charge recognized the importance of having a local news outlet at the milestone ceremony.

Karen Florin is the engagement editor for The Day. You can reach her at k.florin@theday.com.