Two covers and 15 years: How a portrait of Nancy Pelosi brought my career full circle

November 17, 2011, was an unusually exciting day in my young career as a photography assistant. Working in a creative field meant I didn’t usually wear a button-down shirt and tie on the job, but that blustery autumn afternoon was different. I was at the U.S. Capitol in the large, ornate office of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi . I had just finished setting up the lighting for photographer Tim…