In the eight years that Pete Souza photographed President Obama, many of his images have gone viral. But one will go down in history as the most iconic.
Shot in the Oval Office on May 8, 2009, it shows Jacob Philadelphia, the young son of National Security staffer Carlton Philadelphia, touching the president’s hair. “[Jacob] said his friends had said his haircut was just like the president’s and he wanted to see if it really was,” Souza tells TIME in a video interview. “He asked the president if he could touch his head and the president bent over and he touched his head.”
For Souza, there’s no doubt that the image is one of the most iconic of Obama’s administration. “It’s kind of a grab shot but it just tells you a lot about him as a person that he would not only be willing to bend down like that but have this little boy touch his head,” he says.
The Photos We Loved: President Obama Through Pete Souza’s Lens
“President-elect Barack Obama was about to walk out to take the oath of office. Backstage at the U.S. Capitol, he took one last look at his appearance in the mirror,”Jan. 20, 2009.
Pete Souza—White House Photo“We were on a freight elevator headed to one of the Inaugural Balls. It was quite chilly, so the President removed his tuxedo jacket and put it over the shoulders of his wife. Then they had a semi-private moment as staff member and Secret Service agents tried not to look,”Jan. 20, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House"The President was about to answer the phone when I noticed how the sun light streaming through the window illuminated his hand," Jan. 23, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House“The Obama family was introduced to a prospective family dog at a secret greet on a Sunday. After spending about an hour with him, the family decided he was the one. Here, the dog ran alongside the President in an East Wing hallway. The dog returned to his trainer while the Obamas embarked on their first international trip. I had to keep these photos secret until a few weeks later, when the dog was brought ‘home’ to the White House and introduced to the world as Bo,”
March 15, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House“The President was leaving the State Floor after an event and found Sasha in the elevator 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 House President Barack Obama tries out different desk chairs in the Oval Office, Jan. 30, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House“White House valets had moved the sofas in the Oval Office to accommodate the large number of press photographers that were covering the President’s meeting with Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas. When the photo-op ended, the President said to Gov. Douglas, ‘let’s move the sofas back in place.’ Gov. Douglas didn’t quite know what to do as the President did the heavy lifting. The valets now good-naturedly cringe when they look at this picture because it was their responsibility to move the sofas back in place,” Feb. 2, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House“I was sitting in the reception area outside the Oval Office on Aug. 5, 2009, when Sasha walked by and headed to the Oval. I suspected something was up, so I followed her. Sasha then crawled into the office, hiding behind the sofa, and when she reached the far end, jumped up and yelled, trying spook her dad.”Pete Souza—The White HouseOn Sunday night, March 29, 2009, aides listen to a speaker phone as the President made calls to alert officials about his plan to set deadlines for General Motors and Chrysler overhauls that were to be announced the next day.Pete Souza—The White House“The President talks with aides during an impromptu meeting around the Resolute desk,” Feb. 4, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House"This was a difficult day for the President, shown here in the Oval Office on June 23, 2010, after he had made the decision to replace Gen. Stanley McChrystal with Gen. David Petraeus as the Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan."Pete Souza—The White HouseA splash of sunlight falls on the President's face as he makes a phone call in the Oval Office, Dec. 19, 2011.Pete Souza—The White HouseBrian Mosteller, deputy director of Oval Office operations, looks through a peephole in the Oval Office door to monitor the progress of the bilateral meeting between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India. Also pictured, from left, are Personal Secretary Katie Johnson, Chief of Protocol Capricia Marshall, Huma Abedin, advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy Roemer, Nov. 24, 2009. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets the son of a White House staffer in the Outer Oval Office, Oct. 26, 2012.Pete Souza—The White House“When a White House staff member leaves their job, the President usually invites the staff member and his family to the Oval Office for a family photo to thank them for their service. Here the President walks with William Jones, son of departing aide Luke Jones, before a family photo,” Sept. 29, 2011.Pete Souza—The White HouseEight-year old Make-A-Wish child Janiya Penny reacts after meeting President Barack Obama as he welcomes her family to the Oval Office, Aug. 8, 2012.Pete Souza—The White HouseElla Rhodes, daughter of Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, after the President lifted her in her elephant costume that she was wearing for a Halloween event at the White House, Oct. 30, 2015. Pete Souza—The White House“A National Security staffer, Carlton Philadelphia, brought his family to the Oval Office for a farewell photo with President Obama. Carlton’s son, Jacob, softly told the President he had just gotten a haircut like President Obama, and asked if he could feel the President’s head to see if it felt the same as his.”Pete Souza—The White House“The President works on his health care speech with his chief speechwriter, Jon Favreau, in the Oval Office, Sept. 9, 2009. I noticed his handwritten edits and made this close-up. It’s a simple picture but it tells volumes about how involved he is in writing and editing his speeches.”Pete Souza—The White HouseThe President, Vice President and senior staff applaud after watching on television the House vote on H.R. 4872 for health care reform, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, March 21, 2010.Pete Souza—The White HouseSecretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton congratulates President Barack Obama on the House vote to pass health care reform, prior to a meeting in the Situation Room of the White House, March 22, 2010. Pete Souza—The White HouseThe President dances with his wife while singing along with the band Earth, Wind & Fire during the Governors Ball, his first formal function at the White House, on Feb. 22, 2009Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama dances with First Lady Michelle Obama in the Blue Room of the White House prior to an "In Performance at the White House" series concert honoring songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David, May 9, 2012. During the concert the President presented Bacharach and Eunice David, on behalf of her husband, with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama stands with Members of Congress in House Speaker John Boehner's ceremonial office as Bill Livingood, House Sergeant at Arms, left, and Terrance Gainer, Senate Sergeant at Arms, right, prepare to escort them onto the floor of the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 25, 2011.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama wait in the Map Room of the White House, before welcoming President Felipe Calderón of Mexico and his wife, Mrs. Margarita Zavala, on the South Lawn of the White House, May 19, 2010. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama fist-bumps custodian Lawrence Lipscomb in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building following the opening session of the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth, Dec. 3, 2009. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama walks with Chief of Staff Denis McDonough after a day of meetings in the West Wing of the White House, Jan. 21, 2014. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Obama enters the White House at the South Portico following his arrival aboard Marine One on the South Lawn, March 30, 2012. The President returned from a trip to Vermont and Maine.Pete Souza—The White House"The Obama family was scheduled to tour the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, before dinner one night March 20, 2011. But when heavy fog rolled in, they decided to cancel the visit. After dinner though, the fog had dissipated somewhat so they decided to make the drive up the mountain after all. It was quite clear when they arrived and then the fog started to roll back in. I managed to capture this silhouette as they viewed the statute one last time just before departure."Pete Souza—The White House"The President and First Lady bid farewell to Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, before they departed Winfield House in London following a dinner in honor of the Queen,"May 25, 2011.Pete Souza—The White House“Originally it was unclear whether I would be permitted to photograph the President meeting Prince George. But the night before, our advance team called and said they had gotten word from Kensington Palace that they would allow me access to make candid photographs during their visit. Afterwards, this photograph garnered the most attention but at the time all I could think was how the table at right was hindering my ability to be at the optimum angle for this moment, April 22, 2016.” Pete Souza—The White House"We were at the NATO Summit in Wales when someone mentioned to the President that Stonehenge wasn't that far away. 'Let's go,' he said. So when the Summit ended, we took a slight detour on the way back to Air Force One," September 5, 2014.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama views the area near the Treasury during a walking tour of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, March 23, 2013. Pete Souza—The White House"We were at the G7 Summit in Krün, Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel asked the leaders and outreach guests to make their way to a bench for a group photograph. The President happened to sit down first, followed closely by the Chancellor. I only had time to make a couple of frames before the background was cluttered with other people." June 8, 2015.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama delivers his first major speech stating a commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons in front of thousands in Prague, Czech Republic, April 5, 2009. Pete Souza—The White House"The President talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin after a lunch with other foreign leaders to commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France. I'm sure they were talking about a subject matter other than D-Day," June 6, 2014. Pete Souza—The White House"Two days after the visit of Pope Francis, the President and First Lady hosted President Xi Jinping of China and Madame Peng Liyuan for another State Visit. Before the formal State Dinner, the President showed President Xi and Madame Peng the Gettysburg Address in the Lincoln Bedroom," Sept. 25, 2015.Pete Souza—The White House“This was a great scene just before dinner at the G-8 Summit in L’Aquila, Italy. As the leaders arrived, they spontaneously moved to a small patio outside. Several different conversations were taking place. Finally as dusk settled in, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, at far right, motioned for everyone to move inside for the dinner,”July 8, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House"At Camp David for the G8 Summit, European leaders took a break to watch the overtime shootout of the Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich Champions League final. Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, the President, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, French President François Hollande react during the winning goal,"
May 19, 2012.Pete Souza—The White House"The Obama family and Biden family greet Pope Francis as he arrives in the United States for the first time at Joint Base Andrews," Sept. 22, 2015.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama greets Burmese Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a visit to her private residence in Rangoon, Burma, Nov. 19, 2012. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama, guides, and Secret Service agents walk barefoot during a tour of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon, Burma, Nov. 19, 2012. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama tours the Egypt's Great Sphinx of Giza (left) and the Pyramid of Khafre, June 4, 2009. Pete Souza—The White House"The President had hosted a summit meeting at Camp David with the Gulf Cooperation Council. At the conclusion of the summit, each of the leaders was introduced before a final group photo in front of Laurel Cabin. Rather than shoot a tight shot of each leader, I used a wide angle lens to show more of the atmosphere of Camp David. Here, the President greets Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers’ Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman," May 14, 2015.Pete Souza—The White House"A portrait of the President as he listened during a meeting with staff in the Rose Garden. The meeting was originally scheduled in the Oval Office but the President moved it outside because the weather was so pleasant," October 8, 2014.Pete Souza—The White House"When the skies opened up one fall afternoon, I ventured outside the Outer Oval Office with my iPhone to try and capture a good Instagram of the rainstorm. The President saw me standing out on the White House colonnade and stepped outside himself. Fortunately, I also had my DSLR with me to capture this photograph as the President reached out to feel the raindrops," Oct. 15, 2014.Pete Souza—The White HouseAfter returning on Marine One, the President walks from the helicopter to the Oval Office holding an umbrella for aides Valerie Jarrett and Anita Decker Breckenridge," May 18, 2015.Pete Souza—The White House"The skies opened up on Memorial Day outside of Chicago. When the lightning began, the Secret Service told the President that it was too dangerous to proceed. He took the stage by himself and informed the audience that his speech was canceled and that for everyone's safety, they should return to their busses. Later, he boarded a few of the busses to thank them for attending and apologized for not being able to speak," May 31, 2010.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden participate in a "Let's Move!" video taping on the Colonnade of the White House, Feb. 21, 2014. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the Green Room prior to a meeting with U.S. Mayors, Feb. 20, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House"South Africans cheer as President Obama waits in a tunnel at the soccer stadium before taking the stage to speak at Nelson Mandela's memorial service. It was a long overnight flight to Johannesburg, a few hours on the ground in the pouring rain, and then a long flight back to Washington," Dec. 10, 2013.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama tours the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington, D.C., Oct. 14, 2011. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama greets Clark Reynolds, 3, during a reception celebrating African American History Month in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 18, 2016. Pete Souza—The White House"A quiet moment inside Nelson Mandela's former prison cell as the President embraced Sasha while the Obama family was listening to Ahmed Kathrada recount his years spent imprisoned here on Robben Island in Cape Town, South Africa. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years, initially in this prison cell. Kathrada was imprisoned at Robben Island for 18 years," June 30, 2013.Pete Souza—The White House"We were doing an event at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich. Before speaking, the President was looking at some of the automobiles and exhibits adjacent to the event, and before I knew what was happening he walked onto the famed Rosa Parks bus. He sat in one of the seats, looking out the window for only a few seconds." April 18, 2012Pete Souza—The White House"The President, First Lady, and daughter Malia view a portrait of Abraham Lincoln while visiting the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.," Sept. 14, 2014.
Pete Souza—The White House"I was moving around trying to capture different scenes away from the stage during the event to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the Selma to Montgomery civil rights marches. When I glanced back towards the stage, I noticed the President and First Lady holding hands as they listened to the remarks of Rep. John Lewis. I managed to squeeze off a couple of frames before they began to applaud, and the moment was gone," March 7, 2015.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama watches First Lady Michelle Obama dance with 106-Year-Old Virginia McLaurin in the Blue Room of the White House prior to a reception celebrating African American History Month, Feb. 18, 2016. Pete Souza—The White HouseThe President, the First Lady and President Hu Jintao of China descend the Grand Staircase of the White House before a formal State Dinner, Jan. 19, 2011.Pete Souza—The White HouseThe President and First Lady, along with friends and family, watch a 3D commercial during the Super Bowl, Feb. 1, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House“What an honor to watch these girls grow up. Malia, foreground, and Sasha were both invited guests for the State Dinner in honor of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and Mrs. Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau. Following the actual sit-down dinner in the East Room, they made their way down the Great Hall to the State Dining Room for the musical entertainment, March 10, 2016.” Pete Souza—The White House"The President and First Lady were dancing along to the music of the Harry Connick, Jr., Big Band at the Governors Ball. Mrs. Obama turned towards me and, for one split second, looked right at me. Usually I strive to capture moments when the subjects are unaware of the camera. But this an exception where I actually liked that she was looking at me, Feb. 21, 2010. "Pete Souza—The White House"Back in the Gulf Coast for a weekend, the President and First Lady toured St. Andrews Bay on a boat in Panama City Beach, Fla. I noticed their hands touching as they held the rail on the boat," Aug. 15, 2010.Pete Souza—The White House“The President and First Lady wait for Indian Prime Minister Singh’s motorcade to depart the White House at the conclusion of the first official state dinner for the Obama administration, Nov. 24, 2009. The dinner was held in a tent on the South Lawn. The mist and fog made for an interesting scene, even obscuring the top of the Washington Monument in the background.”Pete Souza—The White House"This photograph was taken from the roof above the Oval Office of the Rose Garden during a State Dinner in honor of Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and her husband, Dr. Joachim Sauer," June 7, 2011.
Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom watch the U.S. Army Fife and Drum Corps pass during the Official Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn, March 14, 2012.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama sips hot tea backstage before he delivers remarks at the Palais Des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Belgium, March 26, 2014. TPete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama meets with Denis McDonough, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in New York City, Sept. 23, 2009. Pete Souza—The White House“President Obama heads along the White House colonnade to the residence after leaving the Oval Office for the day," Dec. 3, 2009.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Obama reflects during an economic meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Jan. 29, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House“The President appears in deep thought as he and senior advisor David Axelrod listen during a climate change meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. A moment later, he was laughing at a humorous exchange,” Oct. 14, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House"This was a planning meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. The President was leaning back in his chair, taking in the discussion,” Dec. 22, 2009.
Pete Souza—The White House"A view of the President's chair in the Cabinet Room. The plaques on the chairs of the President and the Vice President are noted with the date of the inauguration; the plaques on the chairs of each Cabinet member are noted with the date of their confirmation by the Senate," Jan. 29, 2010. Pete Souza—The White House“While waiting to be introduced for an event in the East Room of the White House, the President looks out a window in the Green Room towards a view of the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial,” Jan. 6, 2010.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama is seen through a door to the pantry near the State Dining Room of the White House as he waits to meet with the National Governors Association, Feb. 25, 2013. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama waits in the Butlers' Pantry before he is introduced during the National Governors Association meeting at the White House, Feb. 22, 2010.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Obama listens during a briefing about the situation along the Gulf of Mexico coast following the BP oil spill, at the Coast Guard Venice Center, in Venice, La., Sunday, May 2, 2010. Pictured, from left, are Admiral Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral; John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel; and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson.Pete Souza—The White House“Aboard Air Force One, the President’s aides gathered in the conference room to make the final decision on whether to secretly head to Baghdad, April 7, 2009. There was what one aide later called “high drama” as Gen. James Jones, the national security advisor, left, and Secret Service agent-in-charge Joe Clancy talked on different phone lines to their representatives on the ground.”
Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama listens during one in a series of meetings discussing the mission against Osama bin Laden, in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011.Pete Souza—The White House"Much has been made of this photograph that shows the President and Vice President and the national security team monitoring in real time the mission against Osama bin Laden, May 1, 2011. Some more background on the photograph: The White House Situation Room is actually comprised of several different conference rooms. The majority of the time, the President convenes meetings in the large conference room with assigned seats. But to monitor this mission, the group moved into the much smaller conference room. The President chose to sit next to Brigadier General Marshall B. "Brad" Webb, Assistant Commanding General of Joint Special Operations Command, who was point man for the communications taking place. With so few chairs, others just stood at the back of the room. I was jammed into a corner of the room with no room to move. During the mission itself, I made approximately 100 photographs, almost all from this cramped spot in the corner. Please note: a classified document seen in front of Sec. Clinton has been obscured."Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama views drought conditions in California, flying aboard Marine One from Fresno to Firebaugh, accompanied by Rep. Jim Costa and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, Feb. 14, 2014. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama talks with Sung Kim, U.S. Ambassador to Republic of Korea, aboard Marine One during an early morning flight from Osan Air Base to the landing zone at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan in Seoul, Republic of Korea, March 25, 2012. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, N.Y., July 30, 2012. Pete Souza—The White House"A man salutes the President as he travels from Seneca Falls to Syracuse, N.Y. during the college affordability bus tour," Aug. 22, 2013.Pete Souza—The White HouseNeighbors and supporters wave to President Barack Obama upon his arrival in an Atlanta, Ga., neighborhood for an event, March 16, 2012. Pete Souza—The White HousePolice hold back the crowd as tens of thousands of residents line the streets of the motorcade route to wave and welcome President Barack Obama in Rangoon, Burma, Nov. 19, 2012. President Obama is the first sitting U.S. President to visit the country.Pete Souza—The White House President Barack Obama talks on the phone with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai from his vehicle outside the Jane E. Lawton Community Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Sunday, March 11, 2012. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama visits with patrons at Jerry's Family Restaurant in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, April 27, 2010Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama sips on his iced tea and greets people on the street during a stop in Parkville, Mo., July 30, 2014. Pete Souza—The White House"We were walking through a locker room at the University of Texas on August 9, 2010, when White House Trip Director Marvin Nicholson stopped to weigh himself on a scale. Unbeknownst to him, the President was stepping on the back of the scale, as Marvin continued to slide the scale lever. Everyone but Marvin was in on the joke."Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama shoots hoops with his personal aide, Reggie Love, at the White House basketball court, Jan. 18, 2010.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama blocks a shot while playing basketball with personal aide Reggie Love at St Bartholomew's Church in New York City, where the President is attending the United Nations General Assembly, Sept. 23, 2009.
Pete Souza—The White House"Waiting backstage to be introduced, the President wrapped his arms around the First Lady before an outdoor rally in Columbus, Ohio," Oct. 17, 2010.Pete Souza—The White House"The President and First Lady wave to supporters as they ride in the inaugural parade. I had asked the President if I could ride in the presidential limousine and the President joked, 'But Michelle and I were planning to make out," Jan. 21, 2013. Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama embrace following the official swearing-in ceremony in the Blue Room of the White House on Inauguration Day, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. Standing, from left, are daughters Sasha and Malia and Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. Pete Souza—The White HouseThe President visits Joplin, Mo., on May 29, 2011, following a devastating tornado. Here he greets Hugh Hills, 85, in front of his home. Hills told the President he hid in a closet during the tornado, which destroyed the second floor and half the first floor of his house.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama talks with Donna Vanzant, owner of the North Point Marina in Brigantine, New Jersey, Oct. 31, 2012. The President was surveying damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama hugs Amy Simpson, principal of Plaza Towers Elementary School, outside what remains of the school following a tornado in Moore, Okla., May 26, 2013. Pete Souza—The White House"The President prays with a wounded service member and his family during a visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. The President likes to make a few trips a year to Walter Reed to visit wounded warriors and their families," June 28, 2012.Pete Souza—The White House“He was at Arlington National Cemetery for Veterans Day, and after his remarks, made an impromptu stop at Section 60, where troops from Afghanistan and Iraq are buried. He paused to leave a Presidential coin in front of the tombstone for 19-year-old Medal of Honor recipient Specialist Ross McGinnis. Later that same day, the President held a briefing in the Situation Room on Afghanistan," Nov. 11, 2009.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Obama greets U.S. troops following his remarks during an unannounced trip to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, May 1, 2012. The President made three trips around the ropeline to try and shake every hand.Pete Souza—The White House"Attending the annual Army vs. Navy football game at FedEx Field outside Washington, the President spent part of the first half watching the game with Midshipmen from the Naval Academy. During the second half, he crossed the field and watched with Cadets from the U.S. Military Academy (pictured here), Dec. 10, 2011.
Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama pause during a memorial service for the victims of the fertilizer plant explosion in West, Texas, at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, April 25, 2013. Fire Chaplain Jimmy Duncan stands with the President and Mrs. Obama.Pete Souza—The White House“With sunlight streaming through a window in the Green Room, President Obama listens to his introduction by Mark Barden, whose 7-year-old son Daniel was killed during the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Later, as he made remarks in the East Room, he began to cry as he recalled the day of the shootings; he called it the worst day of his Presidency," Jan. 5, 2016.Pete Souza—The White House"At a late night rally in Cleveland, supporters react as the President delivered his remarks," Oct. 25, 2012. Pete Souza—The White House"I can still hear these Irish girls screaming, 'Barack! Barack! Michelle! Michelle!' It reminded me of the old black and white video footage of American girls screaming at the Beatles in concert. These girls were cheering as the President and First Lady took the stage at the College Green in Dublin, Ireland," May 23, 2011.Pete Souza—The White House"The President had just met with the U.S. Olympics gymnastics team, who because of a previous commitment had missed the ceremony earlier in the year with the entire U.S. Olympic team. The President suggested to McKayla Maroney that they recreate her 'not impressed' photograph before they departed," Nov. 15, 2012.Pete Souza—The White House"This photograph was from the annual White House Science Fair. It shows the President posing with Girl Scout Troop 2612 from Tulsa, Oklahoma. I think the 8-year-old girls — Avery Dodson, Natalie Hurley, Miriam Schaffer, Claibyre Winton and Lucy Claire Sharp — are called 'Brownies.' They had just shown the President their exhibit: a Lego flood-proof bridge project. The fair celebrated the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competitions from across the country," May 24, 2014.Pete Souza—The White House"A group of high school cheerleaders listen in rapt attention as the President delivered remarks on the American Jobs Act at West Wilkes High School in Millers Creek, N.C," Oct. 17, 2011.
Pete Souza—The White House“I was struck by the young boy’s look as he watched the President speak at a health care reform rally at the University of Maryland in College Park,”Sept. 17, 2009.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama hugs a woman in the crowd after addressing the Labor Day celebration in Detroit, Mich., Sept. 5, 2011.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama greets hospital workers while visiting wounded service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., June 17, 2011. Pete Souza—The White House"The President had attended the fourth grade closing ceremony for his daughter Sasha at her school in Bethesda, Md. As he was departing, he noticed some pre-school children peering out of a window at a child care facility adjacent to Sasha's school so he walked over to say hello to them,"June 9, 2011.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama helps spell out "Ohio" with the Weithman family, Rachel, 9, Josh, 11, and mom Rhonda, in their home in Columbus, Ohio, Aug. 18, 2010.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama visits Sunset Lake in Yellowstone National Park, Aug.15, 2009. Pete Souza—The White HouseFirst 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 Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009.Pete Souza—The White House"A nice way to celebrate the New Year for the President was to jump in the ocean in his native state of Hawaii. He was on his annual Christmas vacation with family and friends, and went swimming at Pyramid Rock Beach in Kaneohe Bay," Jan. 1, 2012.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Obama joins in a water gun fight with daughter Sasha during her 10th birthday celebration at Camp David, Md., June 11, 2011.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama plays with Bo, the Obama family dog, aboard Air Force One during a flight to Hawaii, Dec. 23, 2011. Pete Souza—The White House"We had arrived back at the Westchester County Airport in New York, headed back to Washington, Sept. 16, 2010. Because of the configuration of the helicopter, everyone had to board before the President. So he waited for a few minutes in the motorcade, illuminated by the interior light, until everyone was situated."Pete Souza—The White House"The President sits for a 3D portrait being produced by the Smithsonian Institution. There were so many cameras and strobe lights flashing but the end result was kind of cool," June 9, 2014.Pete Souza—The White HousePresident Barack Obama meets with advisors prior to a bilateral meeting with President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón of Colombia at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, New York, N.Y., Sept. 24, 2010. Pete Souza—The White House
The photograph is one of the many that show Obama interacting with kids. “A lot of staff people have had kids during this administration so he loves to invite [them] to bring their kids in to the Oval Office,” says Souza. “You can sort of see what he must have been like as a dad when Sasha and Malia were one and two based on how he interacts with these young kids now. Have you ever seen a picture of the president of the United States literally lying on the floor hoisting up a little girl, she has got her elephant costume on, or crawling around on the floor with Jen Saki’s daughter? It’s like a break in the day for him that he relishes and I think it tells you a lot about what he is like as a person.”
