Instagram is popular because, more than selfies, we get to not only see but share our worlds. One of the coolest jobs a photographer could wish for is capturing history for posterity in the office of the U.S. presidency. Now, imagine doing that for two presidencies. While a photographer’s eye and skill come first, it’s great to know a president’s photographer’s camera and gear choice. It’s also cool to find out why they chose to use the tools they use.
Pete Souza is an amazing storyteller both in narrating the context of his photos and also with the lens. He was the official photographer for Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama’s presidencies.
Is it just me or did he seem not to make a big fuss about the gear? I could be wrong but his approach seems to be, “Well you need to choose something to use, so choose whatever will work for you”.
On this video he seems to say what he used, why and how he used it. I guess it’s more than just the tools, you use, right? It would be great to hear from photographers their thoughts on the video and Pete’s approach to gear.
Follow Pete Souza on Instagram here. Or check out his books:
- Shade: A Tale Of Two Presidents on Amazon, Apple Books, Indie Bound
- Obama: An Intimate Portrait on Amazon, Apple Books, Indie Bound
As a mediocre iPhone photographer I found this interesting. Now that you’ve got a glimpse of a president’s photographer’s camera and gear choice, photographers I’d love you to weigh in here. Otherwise for the rest of us, I think there are principles to learn in terms of our approach to the tools we use.
As you use whatever skills and tools you have, may you paint Jesus well. ????????
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