Former White House photographer’s book reveals a behind-the-scenes Barack Obama
Pete Souza captured the Barack Obama presidency for eight years, photographing the former American president during public events, meetings and lighter moments.
world Updated: Nov 11, 2017 17:33 IST
Hindustan Times, New Delhi
Pete Souza, former White House photographer, followed Barack Obama for eight years to capture his presidency, politics, diplomacy and moods.
On Wednesday, Souza released his new book ‘Obama: An Intimate Portrait showcase’ that has around 300 photos featuring the first US black President’s life during his two terms.
One image in the book shows Obama after the inaugural party in 2009, contentedly smiling as he loosens his collar. It also features iconic images of Obama and his aides in the Situation Room before the assassination of most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Laden, by US forces.
Others reflected Obama’s lighter moments. The 2012 image of a three-year-old Spiderman “zapping” the president on Halloween became Obama’s favourite photograph of the year, wrote Souza in the description. “Of course, his favourite changed every time he saw a picture of him with Sasha or Malia (Obama’s daughters).”
Another image from a record of nearly two million photos that Souza took spoke of Obama’s unpresuming nature, as the five-year-old child of a White House staffer gently touched the president’s hair to check how it feels.
Souza, who worked for Chicago Tribune, first met Obama in 2005 when he was a junior senator from Illinois, said a report in New Yorker.
Recently, the photographer has been discreetly voicing his critique of President Donald Trump. He seems to be sending a reminder in an Instagram post that shows Obama reading a memo intently. Its caption reads: “Six years ago today: riding in the motorcade to the airport in Pittsburgh. I was reminded every day that his was a serious job.”
Here are some of the images from Souza’s Instagram account that capture Obama’s many moods: