#2012unfiltered: Instagram on the campaign trail

Washington Post reporters Felicia Sonmez, Philip Rucker, Amy Gardner and Ed O’Keefe and photographers Nikki Kahn, Melina Mara and AJ Chavar use the smartphone application Instagram to capture their journeys with President Obama’s and Mitt Romney’s campaigns. Follow the hashtag #2012unfiltered for more photos showing what it's like to cover these campaigns.

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@ajchavar: Bipartisan pumpkins! #bloomingdale

AJ Chavar / The Washington Post

@melinamara: A Republican baby ...

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

@niccolina: Workers remove an oversize flag following a speech by President Obama in Columbus, Ohio.

Nikki Kahn / The Washington Post

@washingtonpost: The campaign trail isn't just diners, state fairs and stump speeches. It's also nights on the road and days on planes — and stunning aerial views of #Manhattan, like the photo above.

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@edatpost: Clearly a Republican car. Parma Heights, Ohio. #5in5 #2012unfiltered

Ed O'Keefe / The Washington Post

@Philip Rucker: Cheering on Mitt Romney in Fishersville, VA

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@philiprucker: Romney hand out beef jerky to his traveling press corps... #2012unfiltered

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@melinamara: Charlie Pierce, member of Gov. Mitt Romney staff, makes a phone call in the doorway of a wire factory in Ohio. #2012unfiltered #romney #washingtonpost

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

@melinamara: Journalist Phil Rucker on deadline at sunset. #2012unfiltered #washingtonpost #romney

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

@feliciasonmez: Romney venue, Stepto’s BBQ Shack, Evansville, Ind.

Felicia Sonmez / The Washington Post

@amyegardner1: The spin room in Denver.

Amy Gardner / The Washington Post

@philiprucker: Mitt Romney reunited with his two loves in Michigan: Ann and Paul Ryan. #2012unfiltered

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@philiprucker: En route NH, @PeterAlexander rolls an orange to Romney. He writes back. #2012unfiltered [Q: Gov, are you going to let Portman play Obama? Come chat! A: Shh! Don't tell Sununu! But yes . . .]

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@philiprucker: Custom steel wall plate on Romney’s new plane. #2012unfiltered

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@amyegardner1: He didn't get me any. We’re at Deb's Ice Cream & Deli in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. #2012unfiltered

Amy Gardner / The Washington Post

@ajchavar: #dnc2012 crowd from above. #obama #2012unfiltered

AJ Chavar / The Washington Post

@philiprucker: Huge crowd craning to see Mitt Romney & Paul Ryan in Michigan. #2012unfiltered

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@feliciasonmez: Puppies for Paul Ryan.

Felicia Sonmez / The Washington Post

@amyegardner1: The man serving the WH press corps in Davenport, Iowa, was apparently not vetted. #2012unfiltered

Amy Gardner / The Washington Post

@amyegardner1: Now THAT's dedication. An Obama study in crochet, in Atlanta. #2012unfiltered

Amy Gardner / The Washington Post

@philiprucker: Fans at N.H. GOP convention. Cc@ryangop

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@melinamara: Reflections on a Romney campaign from the Protective Pool <span>. . .</span> Staffer Rick Gorka on conference call. #washingtonpost #romney #2012unfiltered

@melinamara: Reflections on a Romney campaign from the Protective Pool . . . Staffer Rick Gorka on conference call. #washingtonpost #romney #2012unfiltered

Melina Mara / The Washington Post

@philiprucker: Romney press plane lands in Wheeling, W.Va. #2012unfiltered

Philip Rucker / The Washington Post

@feliciasonmez: The new Ryan plane, now with photos

Felicia Sonmez / The Washington Post

@feliciasonmez: Oxford, Ohio

Felicia Sonmez / The Washington Post

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

BALTIMORE, MD May 18: Mike Califano (L) and Anthony Forgione horse around in the infield during the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes on May 18, 2013 in Baltimore, MD (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post)

Photos of the day

Preakness Stakes, deadly tornadoes, Whit Monday, Gothic festival, World Dog Show and more.

A man walks on sulphur and mineral salt formations near Dallol in the Danakil Depression, northern Ethiopia April 22, 2013. The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest and harshest environments on earth, with an average annual temperature of 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34.4 Celsius). For centuries, merchants have travelled there with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted and shaped into slabs, then loaded onto the animals before being transported back across the desert so that it can be sold around the country. Picture taken April 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siegfried Modola (ETHIOPIA - Tags: BUSINESS SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

ATTENTION EDITORS: PICTURE 2 OF 30 FOR PACKAGE 'ETHIOPIA'S ANCIENT SALT TRAIL'
SEARCH 'DANAKIL DEPRESSION' FOR ALL

Ethiopia’s salt trail

For centuries, merchants have traveled to Ethiopia’s Danakil Depression with caravans of camels to collect salt from the surface of the vast desert basin. The mineral is extracted...

Image made from video of tornado touching down near Oklahoma City. (KWTV/KOTV/AP)

Tornado near Oklahoma City causes massive damage

A violent twister carves a long and destructive path on the south side of Oklahoma City in city of Moore in the latest of a recent rash of tornados...

MANASSAS, VA - MAY 07: Daniel Tabarez, 1, top, helps his daughter, Maxx Tabarez, 1, walks as Milenka St. Clair, top right, a family support worker with Northern Virginia Family Service visits the family's home on Tuesday May 07, 2013 in Manassas, VA. Daniel and his family are part of the Healthy Families program. (Photo by Matt McClain/ The Washington Post)

At-home visits may be the new pre-preschool

In an effort to close the achievement gap, new programs get to kids early. Here are some of the people Milenka St. Clair, a family support worker...

LAS VEGAS, NV - MAY 19: Singer Taylor Swift accepts the award for 'Top Billboard 200 Album' onstage during the 2013 Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 19, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The 2013 Billboard Music Awards red carpet and ceremony

Stars float down the red carpet in Las Vegas to make their way into a performance-filled awards ceremony featuring artists such as Prince, Justin...

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 20: Joanna Lumley poses during a photocall at the Chelsea Flower Show on May 20, 2013 in London, England. The Chelsea Flower Show run by the RHS celebrates its 100th birthday this year. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Joanna Lumley, Madonna, Prince, Tracy Morgan, Nicole Kidman, Justin Timberlake, Gene Simmons and more.

Graduating students' with rain soaked mortar boards from a driving rain, listen as US President Barack Obama delivers the commencement address during a ceremony at Morehouse College on May 19, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. AFP PHOTO/Mandel NGANMANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Obama addresses Morehouse College graduates

President Obama gets personal about race and manhood in a speech to graduates of historically black Morehouse College.

BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 18: Jockey Gary Stevens rides Oxbow out to the front of the pack on the first straight away during the 138th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Oxbow wins and infield fun at Preakness Stakes in Baltimore

Oxbow put D. Wayne Lukas in the record books again with an upset of Orb in the Preakness, giving the Hall of Fame trainer his 14th win in a Triple...

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