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Obama's First Day in the Senate
When Obama was sworn in as a senator in 2005, Souza, a Chicago Tribune photographer at the time, was assigned to a year-long project to document Obama’s term. The two men met on Obama’s first day in the Senate, and Souza knew the leader had the potential to be a great leader. For the next 11 years, they would grow in trust and Souza's photos would reflect his leadership from various viewpoints. Portrait of a Presidency, 2012).
Photo: (Souza, 2005). -
Average Guy in Moscow
From the get-go, Souza knew there was something special about Obama. As his time as senator unfolded, Souza focused on documenting moments that could be remembered from a higher place of leadership later on in life. This photo of Obama on a Moscow street illustrates what his leadership looked like at the very beginning. Souza captured an average moment of an average guy, walking the streets of Moscow not recognized by anyone. (Pete Souza's Portrait of a Presidency, 2012).
Photo: (Souza, 2005). -
"The Rise of Barack Obama"
In July 2008, Souza published a photo book "The Rise of Barack Obama," featuring photography of his journey in the Senate from 2005 to 2008 (Pete Souza, 2011). The photos featured an array of images that captured his leadership. The symbolism of him running up the steps of the U.S. Capitol speaks to the power of Souza's photography: Souza captured the uphill climb he had watched his subject tackle from behind the lens.
Photo: (Souza, Sen. Barack Obama runs up the steps of the U.S. Capitol) -
The (Digital) Presidential Portrait
Obama has been sworn in as the 44th president, and Souza is named chief White House photographer. He makes photographic history when he takes the official presidential portrait with a digital camera. This is the first portrait captured with such technology, and it was also the first 3D portrait taken in history. (Rochelson, 2009). Souza would continue to challenge the status quo of photographic technology and content management with the use of Flickr for housing all White House photos. -
Obama: The Husband
Souza set out with the goal to show the American people who their president was beyond the Oval: A leader, a husband, and a father. He captured an intimate moment between Barack and Michelle Obama as they stood in an elevator on the evening of his inauguration on January 20th, 2009. Souza had the "photo opportunity" to capture a monumental day in real time with the emotion shared between the new president and his first lady (Taylor, 2013).
Photo: (Souza, 2009). -
The Rise of Flickr
In May 2009, Souza began using Flickr as an official conduit for releasing White House photos. Souza chose Flickr because it was a way for him to informally get his photos out to the world; it created a living archive (Vaughn and Mercieca, 2014).
Photo: (Souza, P050109PS-0546, 2009) -
Obama: The Father
During his second year of his first term, Souza captured a father-daughter moment between Obama and his daughter Malia, showing the president and his role as a father. The precious moment was taken at Obama’s 49th birthday party on the White House South Lawn (Pete Souza's Portrait of a Presidency, 2012).
Photo: (Souza, 2010). -
Raid on Osama bin Laden
Souza captured the iconic photo of Obama with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the historic raid on Osama bin Laden on May 1, 2011. This is one of the most viewed images on Flickr, and documents the tension and hope for triumph felt in the room that day (Couts, 2011).
Photo: (Souza, 2011). -
Obama on the Kiss Cam
The beauty of Souza's photography is that he captures the president in all of his forms. This photo of Barack and Michelle sharing a kiss for the “Kiss Cam” at a U.S. Olympic Men’s basketball game in Washington D.C. relays the love and youthful spirit the 44th first couple have for one another, and it is one of many photos by Souza showcasing the Obama family outside of the political sphere (Souza, 2012). -
Skeet Shooting Controversy
Souza's photography also captured the historic battles fought between the branches. In a time of political tension over the topic of gun control, Souza took a controversial photo of Obama skeet shooting at Camp David. “The notion of the president taking aim at targets flung into the air captivated some in the political and social media worlds at a time when he is pushing Congress to enact sweeping restrictions on high-capacity rifles and magazines” (Baker and Landler, para. 5, 2013). -
Souza's Instagram Account
Not only did he make history with the use of Flickr, Souza also capitalized on social media technology to reach the American people. He became the first chief White House photographer to join Instagram after some prompting from the White House digital team. The caption of the first photo reads: "My maiden voyage on Instagram. Will bring you behind-the-scenes of the presidency." Souza has continued to capitalize on the platform, sharing moments with 2.9 million followers (Witty, para. 1, 2013). -
2 Million Moments
Souza estimates that he will have taken over 2 million photos of Obama by the end of his presidency. Not only do his photos show the rise and rule of the 44th president, they also illustrate a trusting relationship between the photographer and his subject. Through trial and triumph, Souza has captured Obama with intimacy, creativity and respect (Barack Obama's Official Photographer talks to BBC Newsnight, 2016).
Photo: (Souza, 2016).
