OBAMA: An Intimate Portrait

Olivia Cooper
oc140613@ohio.edu
Extra Credit Speaker: Pete Souza

Photograph by Pete Souza

Pete Souza was the White House Photographer for Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. His presentation "OBAMA: An Intimate Portrait", was a showcase of his amazing photography skills while simultaneously telling beautiful stories behind the pictures. Souza told us personal stories about Obama that made the audience feel like they knew him, and heart-wrenching stories behind some more intense photos that tell stories about America during his presidency and some of the tragedies and hardships our country faced together.

Photojournalism Ethics: Inside the White House 
Souza didn't speak much of ethics in his speech, except that he could take pictures wherever he wanted in the White House, whenever he wanted. Pictures cannot capture government secrets, but Souza did show us a few photos where I questioned his ethics. Souza had a photo of Obama, Biden, some of Obama's assistants, and Hillary Clinton in a conference room holding hands and crying tears of joy during the capture of Osama Bin Laden. Souza talked about how this moment was so private, but that he was allowed to be there because he had no boundaries in the White House. Souza was behind the television that was showing a Navy Seal recording of the capture (footage that has never been released), he was just catching their reactions, so it was technically ethical. In "White House News Photographers Association" by laws a complete ethical code can be found. WHNPA Ethical Code

Photojournalism Ethics: Outside the White House 
At the end of the presentation I stayed to ask a few questions about ethics involved in photography outside of the White House. Souza showed photos of some wounded warriors Obama visited in the hospital and also photos of Obama with families mourning the loss of loved ones in the Colorado shootings in 2015. I asked Souza how he decided when or how to take pictures in touchy situations where people are hurt or upset like in those two photos, and if there was a strict ethical code set by the White House Press Group.
He told me there was a strict ethical code, but a lot of the photos he did not release to the press. He said that judgement changes situation to situation. He flipped back to a picture of a wounded warrior where Obama was standing to the side of the hospital bed and holding hands with what looked like a man, hanging his head praying. Souza explained that he took this photo to have Obama covering most of the man's body because he was mangled and in very critical condition. Photos at hospitals with wounded warriors can be graphic and Souza said he likes to respect the troops while still capturing their stories and the time they spent with Obama.
In contrast, with the family photos after Colorado shootings, Souza explained that he was in the background and was not in family's faces taking photos. He said the only frames he captured from the family's meetings with Obama that day were intimate moments from afar, just hugging and consolations. Photojournalists and journalists had to work together closely during this touchy issue to make sure they were not further hurting the community and family and victims White House Archives: Obama's Remarks on Colorado Shootings.

Overall, OBAMA: An Intimate Portrait was absolutely amazing and Pete Souza is one of the most talented photographers. All of his photos tell stories and he lives by a strong ethical code, always striving to project Obama and the administration in a positive light.