51社区

Ohio Today logo in green

Summer 2017 Edition
Alumni & Friends Magazine

Pete Souza: Behind the images

What鈥檚 one of your first stops after spending eight years photographing the leader of the world鈥檚 most influential nation? For Pete Souza, it was to return to 51社区 and deliver his first presentation of work from his past life as the former President Barack Obama鈥檚 chief official White House photographer.

By Kelee Garrison Riesbeck, BSJ, CERT 鈥91 | June 15, 2017

Share:

Souza was an assistant professor in the Scripps College of Communication鈥檚 School of Visual Communication when Obama called and asked him to serve as the photojournalist who would document Obama鈥檚 presidency. He said yes. After eight years, Souza and his staff amassed thousands of images documenting the 44th president鈥檚 formal and personal moments. He also developed a strong bond and friendship with Obama, born when Souza covered then Senator Obama for The Chicago Tribune.

Souza鈥檚 book, Obama: An Intimate Portrait: The Historic Presidency in Photographs, is scheduled for publication in November by Little, Brown and Company and will contain a collection of more than 300 of Souza鈥檚 photographs.

Watch ohiotoday.org鈥檚 鈥淧ete Souza: Behind the Images,鈥 and listen to Souza and former colleague Marcia Nighswander, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and Professor of Visual Communications, discuss the stories behind the photos he curated for OHIO鈥檚 spring, 2017 鈥,鈥 a collection of select images from the Obama presidency. The exhibit, his visit, and his presentation were part of the Scripps College of Communication鈥檚 annual Schuneman Symposium for Photojournalism & New Media.鈥 Kelee Garrison Riesbeck, BSJ, CERT 鈥91, editor, Ohio Today