Presidential photography in review

By: Thorsten Overgaard

Official White House photograph of President Bush 

There's an interesting read in the New York Times, "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall" about presidential photography, lots of samples of great photos, as well as the stories behind them.

But most interestingly, how photos are orchestrated so that when you see a lonely president looking out the windows of Air Force One, it's arranged, and you have to imagine you being one photographer amongst a large group of aides and photographers surrounding him.

Have a look. I'm a sucker for presidential photography personally. So I love it.

Unfortunately The White House official website does not yet display any of the photos taken by the new White House Photographer Pete Souza. It's will be interesting, knowing what you know from the above article, to see his take on the new president. It should be more inside, according to the White House Photographer during President Clinton, Robert McNeely, who in his book The Clinton Years write how he would be alone with the president, literally as a fly on the wall.

PS

Have a look at President Reagans Funeral by Pete Souza (he was White House Photographer during President Reagan and also covered his funeral) as well as his unique The Rise of Barack Omaba series covering Obama's first day at the senate.

Comments

[Christian Rollinson]

wow, some of those shots in the rise of barack obama series are just outstanding, thanks very much for sharing these.

[ayşegül]

absolutely fascinating...thanks for these links, it something i wouldn't have thought about before.

[ayşegül]

Now on Flickr! http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/