Who photographed the Bernie Sanders mittens meme image at Joe Biden’s inauguration?

The photograph of Bernie Sanders at Joe Biden’s inauguration was taken by Brendan Smialowski. Sanders is shown masked, bundled in winter clothing, and seated on a folding chair while waiting at the January 20, 2021 ceremony.

Smialowski was working as an Agence France-Presse photographer. The image quickly spread online because Sanders’ practical posture, large handmade mittens, and socially distanced setting looked unusually candid amid the formal inauguration. Users began placing the image into famous paintings, films, historical scenes, and tourist photographs.

The mittens were made by Vermont teacher Jen Ellis from repurposed wool sweaters, with recycled-plastic-bottle lining. Their sudden fame generated intense demand, although Ellis did not mass-produce them. Sanders later sold sweatshirts featuring the image to raise money for charity, bringing in at least $1.8 million.

A common mix-up is Doug Mills, another prominent political photographer whose inauguration images circulated widely. Mills did not take the specific Sanders-mittens photograph used in the meme.