As we look ahead to President’s Weekend, we take a moment through two photographic memoirs of the 8 years that the Obamas occupied the White House.
David Letterman’s new Netflix show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, featured Barack Obama as guest #1 – if you’re missing his voice and wisdom, stream the one-hour show for a quick fix. Better yet, consider splurging on a just-published tome of photos by the photographer who spent more time with Barack over the past 8 years than anyone on the planet (other than Michelle, Malia and Sasha, that is). Obama wrote the intro.
Pete Souza is an excellent photographer, and was embedded with the President for both terms. His book is called OBAMA: An Intimate Portrait and and heard him speak on his book tour last week. (Definitely buy the book -it is under $32 with Amazon Prime).
Here’s Pete telling the back story of a sweet image of Barack with Sasha’s basketball team. The president filled in for an absent coach for one game, and when the girls fell behind, he had to pull them together and fire them up to take the lead again (which, of course, they did). Check out Sasha’s face as her Dad gets passionate!
Souza has gained notoriety for posting his Obama photos to an Instagram account, providing a running contrast and commentary on the current president. When he came out on stage last week, the crowd cheered him as a hero. He coyly said “I’m trying to get used to this” – for a man who did an excellent job being invisible for 8 years of the Obama presidency, he’s enjoying the limelight.
Chasing Light: Girls from Liberia and Morocco
And. we must also mention that Michelle Obama had a photographer follow her for the second term, and that book is now on the market, as well. Photographer Amanda Luidon’s book Chasing Light: Michelle Obama Through the Lens of a White House Photographer offers images that have not been seen before (and is under $20 with Amazon Prime).
