From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Pete Souza made an impact.
Pete Souza is an American photojournalist notable for his role as the chief official White House photographer for Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. He also served as the director of the White House Photography Office. Before his White House service, Souza worked as a photographer for The Chicago Tribune in Washington, D.C., from 1998 to 2007, documenting Barack Obama's journey to the presidency.
June 1983: Official White House Photographer for President Reagan
In June 1983, Souza became an official White House photographer for President Ronald Reagan.
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1989: End of White House Service under Reagan
In 1989, Souza's service as the official White House photographer for President Ronald Reagan came to an end.
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1998: Souza joins The Chicago Tribune
In 1998, Souza joined The Chicago Tribune at the Washington, D.C. bureau, a role he held until 2007.
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1998: Souza joins The Chicago Tribune
In 1998, Souza joined The Chicago Tribune at the Washington, D.C. bureau, a role he held until 2007.
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September 11, 2001: Coverage of Afghanistan War
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Souza was among the first journalists to cover the war in Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul.
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2004: Photographing Barack Obama's First Year as Senator
In 2004, Jeff Zeleny asked Souza to take photographs for a project documenting Barack Obama's first year as a U.S. senator.
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2004: Official Photographer for Ronald Reagan's Funeral
In 2004, Souza was the official photographer for the funeral services of Ronald Reagan.
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2005: Souza Covers Obama's Senate Arrival
In 2005, Souza covered Obama's arrival to the Senate and met him for the first time on Obama's first day in the Senate.
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2007: Souza's departure from The Chicago Tribune
In 2007, Souza ended his time at the Chicago Tribune's Washington, D.C. bureau.
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2007: Souza's departure from The Chicago Tribune
In 2007, Souza ended his time at the Chicago Tribune's Washington, D.C. bureau.
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July 2008: Publication of 'The Rise of Barack Obama'
In July 2008, Souza published his photo-book, "The Rise of Barack Obama", featuring photographs taken between 2005 and 2008.
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November 2008: Asked to be White House Photographer for Obama
After the November 2008 election, Souza was asked to become the official White House photographer for President-elect Obama, marking his second time in the role.
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January 14, 2009: Release of Obama's Official Presidential Portrait
On January 14, 2009, the new presidential portrait was released—the first official presidential portrait taken with a digital camera.
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May 2009: Use of Flickr for White House Photos
In May 2009, Souza began using Flickr as an official platform for releasing White House photos under a Creative Commons license.
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2009: Iconic Image of Obama and Jacob Philadelphia
In 2009, Souza's image of a five-year-old child, Jacob Philadelphia, touching Obama's head became iconic, symbolizing the African American struggle for civil rights.
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2010: National Geographic Program: The President's Photographer
In 2010, National Geographic produced a program titled "The President's Photographer" about Souza and previous White House photographers.
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May 1, 2011: Iconic Situation Room Photograph
On May 1, 2011, Souza took the iconic photograph in the Situation Room during the raid on Osama bin Laden, featuring Obama, Biden, Clinton, and others.
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April 2017: Instagram Commentary on Trump Administration
In April 2017, Souza began using his Instagram account to share pictures of Obama, often as critical commentary on the Trump administration, gaining over one million followers.
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2017: Book Deal for 'Obama: An Intimate Portrait'
In 2017, Souza received a book deal to publish "Obama: An Intimate Portrait: The Historic Presidency in Photographs".
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August 2018: Two Million Instagram Followers
By August 2018, Souza reached two million followers on Instagram, continuing his critique of the Trump presidency.
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2020: Subject of Documentary 'The Way I See It'
In 2020, Souza's work was the subject of the documentary "The Way I See It".
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January 2021: Advice to Incoming White House Photographer
In January 2021, Souza gave advice to Adam Schultz, the incoming Chief Official White House Photographer for President Joe Biden.
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