Pete Souza
Encyclopedia
Pete Souza is an American photojournalist
and the current Chief Official White House
photographer for President Barack Obama
and Director of the White House Photography Office. Prior to this he remained Official White House Photographer, during President Reagan
, 1983-1989 and photographer with Chicago Tribune
(Washington Bureau), 1998-2007, during this period he also followed the rise of Senator Obama to the Presidency.
, Massachusetts
and raised in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts
. Souza graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in public communication from Boston University
and a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from Kansas State University
.
at the Chanute Tribune and the Hutchinson News. In early 80s, he was a photographer for the Chicago Sun-Times
. He served as an official White House photographer for President Ronald Reagan
during his second term, from June 1983 until Reagan left the White House in 1989. Years later, in June 2004, he was the official photographer during the funeral services of Ronald Reagan
.
Thereafter, he continued to be based in Washington D.C., and worked for ten years as a photographer for the Chicago Tribune
, Washington Bureau (1998-2007). It is during this period that in 2004, Jeff Zeleny, now a political writer for the New York Times, asked him to take photographs for a project documenting Barack Obama's first year as US senator.
Souza covered Obama’s arrival to the Senate in 2005 and met him for the first time on Obama's first day in the Senate when he was sworn in as a Democrat from Illinois in January 2005. He documented Obama's first year in the Senate, following him in many foreign trips including Kenya, South Africa, and Russia. In the process he not only became close to Senator Obama, he ended up following his rise to Presidency. In July 2008, Souza published a bestseller photos book The Rise of Barack Obama, in which photographs between 2005 and 2008 were compiled.
In May 2009 Souza began using Flickr
as an official conduit for releasing White House photos. The photos were initially posted with a Creative Commons Attribution license which required that the original photographers be credited. Flickr later created a new license which identified them as "United States Government Work" which does not carry any copyright restrictions. The photos however are posted with the following disclaimer, "This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House."
Souza has also worked as a freelancer for National Geographic and Life
magazines. After 9/11, he was among the first journalists to cover the war in Afghanistan
and the fall of Kabul.
He was an assistant professor of photojournalism at Ohio University
's School of Visual Communication and later he was asked on January 4, 2009 to become the official White House photographer for the second time in his career, for the new President-elect Obama
. Shortly on January 14, the new presidential portrait released, and it is the first time that an official presidential portrait was taken with a digital camera. A week later he was present at the inauguration
and following day he was only photographer present for Obama's second swearing-in and also on Obama's first workday in the Oval Office
.
In 2010, a National Geographic special was produced about presidential photographers, titled, The President's Photographer where Pete Souza was the main subject. The special covered Pete's work while also featuring the previous White House photographers, the film premiered on November 2010 (PBS).
Souza's 2011 photograph of Obama in the Situation Room
during the raid on Osama bin Laden has become one of the most viewed images on Flickr
. Today as White House photographer, Souza travels alongside President Obama to visually document each meeting, trip and encounter for historical record, along with and his staff produce up to 20,000 pictures a week.
In November of 2011, Souza was included on The New Republic's list of Washington's most powerful, least famous people.
Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism...
and the current Chief Official White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
photographer for President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and Director of the White House Photography Office. Prior to this he remained Official White House Photographer, during President Reagan
Reagan
Reagan is an Irish surname, most commonly associated with Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. Reagan may also refer to:-Surname:*Nancy Reagan , widow of Ronald Reagan and First Lady from 1981 to 1989...
, 1983-1989 and photographer with Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
(Washington Bureau), 1998-2007, during this period he also followed the rise of Senator Obama to the Presidency.
Early life and education
He was born in New BedfordNew Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and raised in South Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. Souza graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BS) in public communication from Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
and a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
.
Career
Souza started his career in the 1970s in KansasKansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
at the Chanute Tribune and the Hutchinson News. In early 80s, he was a photographer for the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
. He served as an official White House photographer for President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
during his second term, from June 1983 until Reagan left the White House in 1989. Years later, in June 2004, he was the official photographer during the funeral services of Ronald Reagan
Death and state funeral of Ronald Reagan
On June 5, 2004, Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, died after having suffered from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade. His seven-day state funeral followed, spanning June 5–11...
.
Thereafter, he continued to be based in Washington D.C., and worked for ten years as a photographer for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Washington Bureau (1998-2007). It is during this period that in 2004, Jeff Zeleny, now a political writer for the New York Times, asked him to take photographs for a project documenting Barack Obama's first year as US senator.
In May 2009 Souza began using Flickr
Flickr
Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
as an official conduit for releasing White House photos. The photos were initially posted with a Creative Commons Attribution license which required that the original photographers be credited. Flickr later created a new license which identified them as "United States Government Work" which does not carry any copyright restrictions. The photos however are posted with the following disclaimer, "This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House."
Souza has also worked as a freelancer for National Geographic and Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazines. After 9/11, he was among the first journalists to cover the war in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
and the fall of Kabul.
He was an assistant professor of photojournalism at Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
's School of Visual Communication and later he was asked on January 4, 2009 to become the official White House photographer for the second time in his career, for the new President-elect Obama
Presidential transition of Barack Obama
The presidential transition of Barack Obama began when he won the United States presidential election on November 4, 2008, and became the President-Elect. He was formally elected by the Electoral College on December 15, 2008...
. Shortly on January 14, the new presidential portrait released, and it is the first time that an official presidential portrait was taken with a digital camera. A week later he was present at the inauguration
Inauguration of Barack Obama
The inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States took place on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. The inauguration, which set a record attendance for any event held in Washington, D.C., marked the commencement of the four-year term of Barack Obama as President and Joe...
and following day he was only photographer present for Obama's second swearing-in and also on Obama's first workday in the Oval Office
Oval Office
The Oval Office, located in the West Wing of the White House, is the official office of the President of the United States.The room features three large south-facing windows behind the president's desk, and a fireplace at the north end...
.
In 2010, a National Geographic special was produced about presidential photographers, titled, The President's Photographer where Pete Souza was the main subject. The special covered Pete's work while also featuring the previous White House photographers, the film premiered on November 2010 (PBS).
Souza's 2011 photograph of Obama in the Situation Room
The Situation Room (photograph)
White House photographer Pete Souza captured a noted photograph in the White House Situation Room at 4:06 PM on May 1, 2011. The photograph shows the President of the United States, Barack Obama, along with his national security team, receiving live updates of Operation Neptune Spear, which led to...
during the raid on Osama bin Laden has become one of the most viewed images on Flickr
Flickr
Flickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
. Today as White House photographer, Souza travels alongside President Obama to visually document each meeting, trip and encounter for historical record, along with and his staff produce up to 20,000 pictures a week.
In November of 2011, Souza was included on The New Republic's list of Washington's most powerful, least famous people.
Photo books
- Unguarded Moments: Behind-the-scenes Photographs of President Reagan, Tapestry Pr, 1997. ISBN 1930819374
- Plebe summer at the U.S. Naval Academy: photographs. P. Souza, 2003. ISBN 0972942602
- Images of Greatness: An Intimate Look at the Presidency of Ronald Reagan, Triumph Books, 2004. ISBN 1572437014.
- The Rise of Barack Obama, Triumph Books, 2009. ISBN 1600783139.
- The President's Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office, with John Bredar. National Geographic, 2010. ISBN 1426206763.