How a Photographer Got a Rare Shot of James Mattis

Doesn't look like a Mad Dog to me. Maybe he is called that ironically.

I have often thought that photography holds many similarities to playing defense in baseball. Watch a young baseball player and they use youth and speed and luck to try and get to the ball, while the veteran knows the hitters and their tendencies, allowing for better positions ahead of the play. The seasoned player is standing where the ball is likely to be hit prior to the hit occurring and is therefore more likely to catch the ball. Compare this to what Mr. Peterson did before hand: scouted the location and asked the press secretary how the event would play out. He ran the visual possibilities through his memory of other photo possibilities and made a decision where to position himself and what lens to have on hand. As the scene played out, he was in an advantageous position to catch the image. The performance of Mr. Mathis might have been luck, but Mr. Peterson`s pre-planning and positioning was what made the image possible. Excellent work by a major league photographer.

He is holding back a madman. Wish him well.

Great photo!

Don't let him kid you. It's not luck.

Love how the photographer of this difficult shot takes little credit, calling it luck, etc., then proceeds to explain all the steps he went through to get this rare shot! A true professional.

Excellent capture of a man that is keeping our Nation from war. By the way, Mattis' call sign is CHAOS, the Colonel Has Another Outstanding Solution, great story behind the title. Look forward to reading, The Last Man Standing...the anger, fear, and hate of two extremes always form a perfect storm for the destruction of good.

I like I am sure many was struck by the excellence of this photograph. The composition, the story (the juxtaposition of the secretary and the corporal), the portrait demeanor of Mattis, the intimate presence of the photographer in the scene. An outstanding picture. But Peterson is too modest when he says it was luck. As Louis Pasteur said, Chance favors the prepared mind. He knew what to do and how to do it, even if he doesn't want to say so.

Wonderful shot. Really encompasses the Last Man Standing imagery.

This great photo reminds me of an interview with Sweden's then slalom ace, Ingemar Stenmark, after he had won a race but was close to falling during the second run. – You were really lucky there, the interviewer said. – I don't know much about 'luck', replied Ingemar. I only know that the more I train, the luckier I get.

Wow...make your own luck sir, more than happenstance in this shot. Love to know more in followups. Secret stuff like lenses, settings and tips to capture such great images. Bravo!

Not just luck. The convergence of good thinking and the willingness to risk failure to make a compelling image. You can't build your career on luck, you just work hard and are smart. Well done, Mark Peterson.

Luck, yes- but luck informed by experience, readiness and a great eye, (as already mentioned in another comment).

Any photography is a matter of luck? I think that statement could use some specificity, to say the least as big the world of photography is.

I love this image. It tells a very compelling story without needing words. Great job!

"Controlled chaos," a perfect description. I do jazz photography. The legendary South African drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo was on stage with his quartet including British pianist Alexander Hawkins on the other side of the stage. I needed a group shot, a composition tied the four guys into a unit, everybody communicating with each other. Musicians do that with their ears. For the first hour of an 90 minute set , the drummer and pianist did not look up from their instruments and shot very few frames. Experienced photographers can feel the moment coming and then they get lucky based on intuition and feel. A moment of fire in the music came, Moholo-Moholo looked up, smiled at Hawkins at the same time Hawkins did the same thing. I triggered the shutter, mission accomplished Controlled chaos, that's what we look for. Great article.

Luck? Yeah right! Don't believe a word of what Mr. Peterson says about his "luck." It takes skill, experience, creativity and a bit of a Sixth Sense to capture a photograph like this one.

How refreshing to hear an artist, craftsman, athlete, or entertainer admit to the role of luck. We know the vast amount of skill that goes into any of these pursuits, but to admit the obvious--that luck too can be important--is so rare that I wonder sometimes if the celebrity practitioners are guilty of hubris or ignorance. Not so Mr. Peterson. May more take after him.

Thanks for publishing this. I've been fascinated with this photo, and hope Mr. Peterson can answer a photo geek's question: What lens are you using? From the apparently sharp focus of the foreground (left) solider, plus his slightly exaggerated perspective, it almost looks like this a crop from the center-left side of a wide-angle lens, with the photographer standing quite close. Of course, you might've been further away, but the picture creates such intimacy and stillness, it seems as if we are right there...while plainly at some remove. Outstanding composition. In any event, excellent and inspiring work - thank you!

What I see is a man, constrained, defeated, and bound, awaiting his fate.

I am really glad that Katie Van Syckle wrote this article. When I saw Mark's photo in the article, I recognized this as a remarkable photo and wanted to know more about it... not that one ever frequently gets a chance to talk with the photographer about his or her work. It's an excellent composition. Right, there is luck in any photograph, but it takes a great photographer to record the moment, and the photographer's eye sees quickly and really does compose, even in a minute. Supporting the image is its stark finish, a black and white narrative of the tension that is in the article. The Lance Corporal's attention guides us to Jim Mattis who focuses intently on something that we cannot know. It's an edgy photo, an image that reminds us of those important moments that are recorded in photos of our critical historical events. We can only hope for a peaceful resolution to the problem. Fine work.