Having first photographed President Obama in 2005, White House photographer Pete Souza estimates that by the time Obama’s second term is up, he will have made over two million photographs of the President. It’s difficult to imagine following and photographing the same person for eleven years. In this video, from BBC’s Newsnight, Souza talks about covering every aspect of the President’s public and private life.
While a job like this is certainly an honour, regardless of your political leanings, I’m not sure it’s something I would want to do.
The highs seem like great times that many of us would love to have witnessed first hand. But the lows can be the kind of thing that changes a person for life, even when you’re only documenting it. Regardless, Souza’s insights and thoughts on this unique position as a photographer, following one of the most powerful men in the world, are very interesting. The access that this position has afforded him has allowed him to produce some of the most iconic, and sometimes humorous, images of any American President.
You can find out more about Pete Souza on his website, and see more White House photography on the official Flickr feed. Images via Flickr, © US Govt.
