Excellent movie on Netflix

Jock Elliott

Hall of Famer
Location
Troy, NY
Just last night I watched "The President's Photographer." Done by National Geographic, it chronicles the life of the White House photographer -- the current one as well as some of the past ones. I found it very interesting, some of the images beautiful, and I thought it was a thought-provoking look at the challenges of "situational photography," where the object is to chronicle history photographically while being invisible yourself. Pete Souza, the current presidential photographer, apparently worked for Reagan as well as Obama.
 
Thanks for this - watched part of it earlier this afternoon - will finish it later. Interesting. I think that would be really cool in terms of getting to witness that level of history up close and to document it, but that level of work just sounds overwhelmingly exhausting, like BEING the President - I don't think anyone who can make it through a campaign and 4/8 years in office without totally losing their minds must just be super-human. And the photographer and staffers not too far behind...

-Ray
 
I saw this on our local PBS station a while back. It was a very fascinating look at the presidential photographer's job. Thanks for mentioning it.

A good friend of mine was on the presidential coverage detail for UPI (United Press International) in D.C., and I always enjoyed it when he told me about the crazy lifestyle that his job entailed and the adventures he experienced while working there. He eventually burned out, quit the business, and opened up a sandwich shop for a few years before retiring completely. :)

--Warren
 
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