The Obamas: Images of the First Family Over The Years

As the Obamas prepare to bid Washington adieu, TIME selects its favorite photographs of the First Family over the years.
Senator Barak Obama spends time with his daughters Malia, 8, and Sasha, 5, and wife Michelle before the girls leave for school
Callie Shell—Aurora Photos for TIMEThen-Sen. Barack Obama spends time with his daughters Malia and Sasha and wife Michelle before the girls leave for school and his wife for work. They are at their home in Hyde Park, Chicago, on Oct. 2, 2006.

A First Family Album

The Obamas made their entrance to the national spotlight on the campaign trail in 2007 and have captivated their supporters as first family ever since, in moments big and small. When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, Malia and Sasha were just ten and seven years old, respectively; with Sasha being the youngest child to live in the White House since JFK, Jr. The president and First Lady Michelle Obama faced the balancing act of raising their two daughters with a normal childhood in an extraordinary setting. Throughout the past eight years in the White House and around the world, the family has been documented in thousands upon thousands of photographs, posed and candid, private and public. Images from the White House reveal the intimate moments of childhood lived in a political world turned playground. Hide-and-seek in The Oval Office. Playing with the family dog on a snowy day on the South Lawn. Publicly, news photographers capture the family biking in Massachusetts on a vacation, pardoning a Thanksgiving turkey, singing Happy Birthday. The best of them capture the authentic moments in a sea of political orchestration. As the Obamas prepare to bid Washington adieu, TIME selected its favorite photographs from their political beginnings in Chicago to their last months in The White House. —Chelsea Matiash, Dec. 15, 2016

Senate Hopeful Barack Obama Waits For Election Results
Scott Olson—Getty ImagesThen-candidate for the U.S. Senate Barack Obama celebrates with his daughters Malia and Sasha and wife Michelle during a victory party on Nov. 2, 2004 in Chicago.
Behind The Scenes With Senator Barack Obama
Charles Ommanney—Getty ImagesThen-Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama plays with his daughter Sasha in their RV on July 4, 2007 during a campaign swing between Oskaloosa and Pella, Iowa.

Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, Sasha Obama
M. Spencer Green—APBarack Obama and his daughter Sasha play a carnival game with his wife Michelle and daughter Malia, right, at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moine, Iowa on Aug. 16, 2007.
On the Campaign Trail with Barack Obama
Callie Shell—Aurora PhotosBarack Obama reads over his victory speech with daughter, Sasha, while his wife, Michelle, talks to daughter, Malia in a holding room at the Hy-Vee Center in Des Moines, Iowa in January 2008. Obama had just won the Iowa Caucus for the Democratic ticket.
Barack Obama, Maila Obama, Sasha Obama
Marco Garcia—APBarack Obama walks down Kailua Beach in Kailua, Hawaii, on Aug. 12, 2008, with his daughters Malia and Sasha during their vacation in Hawaii.
Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, Sasha Obama
Jae C. Hong—APMichelle Obama and her daughters Sasha and Malia chat with Barack Obama as he talks via video link from Kansas City, Mo., during the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Aug. 25, 2008.
Sasha Obama, Malia Obama
Jae Hong—APSasha and Malia Obama watch the inaugural parade in Washington, on Jan. 20, 2009.
In this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha sit together in the Oval Office, Feb. 2, 2009.
Pete Souza—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha sit together in the Oval Office, Feb. 2, 2009.
In this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama plays with daughters Malia and Sasha on the new playground swing-set. on the South Lawn of the White House, March 4, 2009.
Pete Souza—The White House In this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama plays with daughters Malia and Sasha on the new playground swing-set on the South Lawn of the White House, March 4, 2009.
In this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama holds SashaÑ after finding her in an elevator after an eventÑready to head upstairs to the private residence. He decided to ride upstairs with her before returning to the Oval Office, May 19, 2009.
Pete Souza—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama holds Sasha after finding her in an elevator after an event, ready to head upstairs to the private residence. He decided to ride upstairs with her before returning to the Oval Office, May 19, 2009.
Pete Souza—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama has dinner with his family on the roof of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, July 7, 2009, in Moscow. He is seated with Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, Kaye Wilson, Marian Robinson and Sasha Obama.
In this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama works at his desk as Sasha Obama sneaks up on him in the Oval Office, Aug. 5, 2009.
Pete Souza—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama works at his desk as Sasha Obama sneaks up on him in the Oval Office, Aug. 5, 2009.
'Fiesta Latina' Music Series Held At White House
Pool/Getty ImagesMalia and Sasha Obama attend a White House music series “Fiesta Latina” on the South Lawn of the White House Oct. 13, 2009 in Washington.
President Obama Pardons Thanksgiving Turkey
Alex Wong—Getty ImagesSasha Obama looks at a turkey named “Courage” during an event to pardon the 20-week-old and 45-pound turkey at the North Portico of the White House on Nov. 25, 2009 in Washington. The Presidential pardon of a turkey has been a long time Thanksgiving tradition.
In this official White House photograph, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia, along with family dog, Bo, play in the snow on the South Lawn of the White House on Dec. 19, 2009.
Pete Souza—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia, along with family dog, Bo, play in the snow on the South Lawn of the White House on Dec. 19, 2009.
Obama Family Returns To White House From Hawaii Vacation
Mark Wilson—Getty ImagesPresident Barack Obama walks with his daughters Malia and Sasha on the South Lawn of the White House on Jan. 4, 2010 in Washington.
In this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama and daughter Sasha stand atop Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine, July 16, 2010.
Pete Souza—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama and daughter Sasha stand atop Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine, July 16, 2010.
In this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama and his daughters Sasha and Malia watch the World Cup soccer game between the U.S. and Japan, from the Treaty Room office in the residence of the White House, July 17, 2011.
Pete Souza—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama and his daughters Sasha and Malia watch the World Cup soccer game between the U.S. and Japan, from the Treaty Room office in the residence of the White House, July 17, 2011.
In this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, attend the Christmas in Washington taping at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2011.
Pete Souza—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, attend the Christmas in Washington taping at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2011.
USA vs Brazil
Nathaniel S. Butler—NBAE/Getty ImagesPresident Barack Obama with First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughter Malia Obama attend a match between the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team and Brazilian Men’s Senior National Team on July 16, 2012 in Washington.
Pool—Getty ImagesPresident Barack Obama walks from St. John’s Episcopal Church back to the White House with his daughters Sasha and Malia on Oct. 28, 2012 in Washington.
Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Sasha Obama, Malia Obama
Carolyn Kaster—APPresident Barack Obama, accompanied by first last Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha arrive at the election night party on Nov. 7, 2012, in Chicago after Obama defeated Republican challenger former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, Sasha Obama
Alex Brandon—APPresident Barack Obama, right, first lady Michelle Obama, left, Sasha Obama, second from left, and Malia Obama, sing during the 90th annual National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the Ellipse south of the White House, Dec. 6, 2012, in Washington.
Frank Franklin II—APFirst lady Michelle Obama, center, and daughters Sasha, left, and Malia, right, walk on stage during the Kids’ Inaugural: Our Children. Our Future.” event in Washington, Jan. 19, 2013, as part of the 57th Inauguration weekend of events.
Barack Obama Sworn In As U.S. President For A Second Term
Win McNamee—Getty ImagesMalia Obama and Sasha Obama arrive during the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Jan. 21, 2013 in Washington.
Barack Obama, Malia Obama
Steven Senne—APPresident Barack Obama and daughter Malia ride bicycles in Manuel F. Correllus State Forest in West Tisbury, Mass., on Aug. 16, 2013 while vacationing on the island.
In this official White House photograph, First Lady Michelle Obama hugs daughters Sasha, left, and Malia as they visit the Great Wall of China in Mutianyu, China, March 23, 2014.
Amanda Lucidon—The White HouseIn this official White House photograph, First Lady Michelle Obama hugs daughters Sasha, left, and Malia as they visit the Great Wall of China in Mutianyu, China, March 23, 2014.
US President Barack Obama goes shopping during Small Business Saturday
Pool/Getty ImagesPresident Barack Obama buys ice cream for his daughters Malia and Sasha at Pleasant Pops during Small Business Saturday on Nov. 28, 2015, in Washington.
Carolyn Kaster—APPresident Barack Obama leans to talk with his daughters Malia, left, Sasha, second from left, and First Lady Michelle Obama’s mother Marian Robinson during the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at the Ellipse in Washington, Dec. 3, 2015.
Barack Obama, Kendrick Lamar, Janelle Monae, Malia Obama
Carolyn Kaster—APPresident Barack Obama hugs and sings “Happy Birthday” to his daughter Malia Obama, as they are joined by Kendrick Lamar, left, and Janelle Monae, right, on stage during an Independence Day celebration in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, on July 4, 2016.
Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Sasha Obama
Pablo Martinez Monsivais—APPresident Barack Obama, left, gestures towards the musical performers on stage to the amusement of his wife Michelle Obama, center, and their daughter Sasha, center, during the 2016 National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, Dec. 1, 2016.

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