Picturing the Presidents

How we see, and understand, the President of the United States, is primarily the job of one man: the chief White House photographer.  Several recent books (and some older ones) are of note here:

The newest release is by Eric Draper, the photographer who was the chief White House cameraman for the eight years of the George W.Bush presidency. " Front Row Seat: A Photographic Portrait of the Presidency of George W. Bush." is published by University of Texas Press.

It follows on the heels of the recently released book "The President's Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office," (published by National Geographic, 2010) which traces contemporary photographers inside the White House. This particular book was the basis for the public TV documentary of the same name.

Photographer Pete Souza, the man who currently holds the title of chief WH photographer, is also the author of these related books: "The Rise of Barack Obama" (Triumph Books, 2008) ; "Images of Greatness: An Intimate Look at the Presidency of Ronald Reagan (Triumph Books, 2004); "Unguarded Moments: Behind-The-Scenes Photographs of President Ronald Reagan" (Summit Publishing, 1993).

Also of note: "The Clinton Years: The Photographs of Robert McNeely," (Callaway, 2000) and "George Herbert Walker Bush: A Photographic Profile," (Texas A&M Univ Press, 1997)