Ohio University Professor Pete Souza Named Obama’s Official White House Photographer
Announced last night by NPPA:
Photojournalist and NPPA member Pete Souza has accepted the position of official White House photographer for President-elect Barack Obama, he told News Photographer magazine tonight.”
Souza met then senator Barack Obama back in 2005 while covering his first day in the U.S. Senate for The Chicago Tribune. Souza documented the freshman senator’s first year in the Senate for the Chicago Tribune, following Obama to seven countries including Kenya, South Africa, and Russia. Souza later went onto publish a New York Times Bestselling book, The Rise of Barack Obama, which documents Barack Obama’s rise to power. It’s a well done book!
Souza began teaching photojournalism last year at Ohio University. He’s returning to Washington today, where he left his family after accepting the job at OU, to prepare for his new job.
Congrats Pete!
2008 Favorites
Happy New Year to all! 2008 was filled with a fantastic trip to India, a good internship at The Elkhart Truth, a look into an historic political season, and graduation. Here’s hoping everyone has a good 2009.
Teagan and Blake Mast fidget during the singing of the National Anthem Friday July 25, 2008 on the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds in Goshen, Ind.
A worker sets up the Giant Ferris Wheel on the Elkhart County 4-H fairgrounds in Goshen, Ind., on July 16, 2008.
A tourist feeds a monkey at the Amber Fort in Jaipur, India, the capital city of Rajasthan on January 1, 2008. The elegant fort was built in 1592 by Raja Man Singh I and is a major tourist attraction.
The bride Divya Agarwal prepares to receive gifts during her wedding ceremony with Suketu Soni, Jan. 4, 2008. Agarwal and Soni met on an Indian online dating service in 2001.
A wedding guest watches a wedding parade in the town of Navsari in Gujarat, India.
An Obama supporter stands in the doorway as the final Presidential debate is projected on the wall at the Campaign for Change student headquarters on Court Street in Athens, Ohio, on Oct. 15, 2008.
Campaign for Change
Students played an important roll in Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential campaign. Students, residents, paid employees and volunteers alike bonded together to show support for their candidate. Obama’s campaign harnessed the youth vote in a way that had never been done before. According to College News:
The youth, a notoriously unpredictable constituency in voter turnout, dashed to the polls in historically high numbers. And they leaned toward Obama overwhelmingly, by a ratio of greater than two-to-one, according to exit polls.”
My independent study for my final quarter at Ohio University focused on Barack Obama’s student-led campaign in Athens, Ohio. I met many committed and tallented individuals along the way. Enjoy.
Matthew Maxwell Kennedy
Matthew Maxwell Kennedy, son of Robert F. Kennedy, visited Athens Thursday, October 30, 2008 to campaign for Obama. Kennedy spent his time with the student members of Campaign for Change. Said Kennedy, “You guys are smiling and having fun…I’ve never seen energy like this on a campus before.”
Even the restroom at Wendy’s is having its say about this election.
5 Days Left
With 5 days left, we’re getting down to the wire ladies and gents. More from my independent study:
Suzi Hawk, Communications Chair and second top-caller for Ohio University’s College Republicans, makes calls on behalf of the McCain/Palin campaign, Wednesday October 22, 2008.
Ken Chapman, Regional Field Director for Campaign for Change, watches Senator Barack Obama’s 30-minute TV ad on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. The ad, which aired on 7 different networks simultaneously, featured profiles of families and high-profile endorsements.
Is anyone getting sick of election coverage yet?
Paying for Election Coverage
Both the McCain and Obama campaigns are charging the media for election night coverage.
According to ChicagoBusiness.com:
“A memo sent to news organizations on Tuesday by the Obama campaign says credentials will cost $715 to $1,815, depending on whether electrical and phone lines are needed and whether an indoor or outdoor seat is requested for the event, which is expected to be held outside the evening of Nov. 4 in Grant Park.”
According to SportsShooter.com:
“Workspace in the [McCain] Press Filing Center Workspace may be available for a fee. Space is limited and not guaranteed. The ESTIMATED cost is $695 per person. Workspace will include: Table space, Power, Wi-Fi, Cable TV viewing, Food and Beverage service throughout election day. And if you were dismayed by the Obama situation it’s much worse at McCain. There is NO option for free coverage. None.”
Comments from media photographers via the SportsShooter.com forums:
“This is an absolutely moronic decision given the fact that Obama has gotten such a free ride from most of the journalism world during his camapaign. Most of the major networks are all but campaigning for the guy, so you would think that he would issue them guest passes and send a limo to the airport for them rather than charge them a fee for access.”
“How long will it be before we see this on the local level? Can we soon expect mayoral candidates to begin charging members of the media for election coverage? What about covering a school board election. And why stop at election coverage? When will they begin charging fees to cover the presidential state of the union address? Your governor’s state of the state address? Mayor-attended ribbon cutting ceremonies?”
Interesting time to be a news photographer.
Last Debate
I photographed people watching the last Presidential debate last week for my independent study. Here’s my favorite catch from the night.
An Obama supporter stands in the doorway during the final Presidential debate at the Campaign for Change student headquarters on Court Street in Athens, Ohio, October 15, 2008.
