DES MOINES, Iowa —

Cortney Kintzer's journey as a photojournalist began in October 1974 when he witnessed Air Force One touch down in Des Moines, sparking a lifelong passion for capturing moments through a camera lens.

"I was a sophomore at Roosevelt High School. I didn't work for anyone, but I had a home movie camera," Kintzer said, recalling the day he stood just feet away from President Gerald Ford.

The news of the day was exciting for Kintzer, but it was the network pool camera crew that captured his imagination.

"I look over and it's the network pool camera crew running from the back of Air Force One, the cameraman and the soundman, and they're attached together," he said. "In my mind, I thought, 'That is the coolest thing I've ever seen in my life. This is what I want to do.'"

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