The Stories Behind the Shots: An Interview with White House Photographer Pete Souza

Dec 29, 2014

Michael Zhang

Official White House photographer Pete Souza was recently interviewed by journalist Al Hunt for his “On the Story” program. In the 17-minute interview (shown above), Souza offers a glimpse into what his life is like on the front lines of world history.

We also hear the stories behind a number of Souza’s most famous photographs of President Obama and President Reagan (whom he also served as official White House photographer).

Here are some of the photographs discussed in the course of the interview:

President Barack Obama talks with President Raúl Castro of Cuba from the Oval Office, Dec. 16, 2014. [#]

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, along with daughters Sasha and Malia, stand in former South African President Nelson Mandela's cell as they listen to former prisoner Ahmed Kathrada during their tour of Robben Island Prison on Robben Island in Cape Town, South Africa, June 30, 2013. — President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, along with daughters Sasha and Malia, stand in former South African President Nelson Mandela’s cell as they listen to former prisoner Ahmed Kathrada during their tour of Robben Island Prison on Robben Island in Cape Town, South Africa, June 30, 2013. [#]

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, along with members of the national security team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011. [#]

The President pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets Nicholas Tamarin, 3, just outside the Oval Office. Spider-Man had been trick-or-treating for an early Halloween with his father, White House aide Nate Tamarin in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Oct. 26, 2012. [#] — The President pretends to be caught in Spider-Man’s web as he greets Nicholas Tamarin, 3, just outside the Oval Office. Spider-Man had been trick-or-treating for an early Halloween with his father, White House aide Nate Tamarin in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Oct. 26, 2012. [#]

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You can follow along with Souza’s presidential photographs through the White House’s official Flickr photostream. You can also find our previous posts on Souza here.

Interviews