Looking Presidential: Images of the President
What does a president look like? When you see photographs of the President,
what are your expectations? When you are the new incoming President and
you are covered by the media, what does it mean to look presidential?

Here are some images from the media and recent Obama press events.
What are the elements of the images that translate "presidential" ? 
What is the same, what is different, and why?
How much control does the President have over how the media show him?

Some of the sources located at Visual Literacy may be helpful to you and your students.
Frank Baker

 President Obama's First 100 Days slideshow
Behind the Scenes (USA Today)
 White House photographer gets inside view
White House Pictures Tell A Story
Photographing of the President, 2008     Obama Chooses Official Photographer
 New Camera Angle on Obamas Focuses All Eyes on Inauguration
Jan 20: A Day Best Captured by Image, Not Narrative     
Photographer: Inauguration like no moment I've ever witnessed
Bush presidency in pictures
Mirror, mirror on the wall (the Bush presidency in photos)
 Photographing the President
Photographing Nixon


  
                                                Pres. Obama with Jay Leno Thursday March 19, 2009 (reuters)
 

Kristin Aldridge surveys magazines.

photo above from politico.com

   
This March 09 Reason magazine cover resembles the TIME magazine cover from November 2008

       

 

     photo    America, the Catholic magazine

     Vanity Fair, March 2009   Ms



    
New York Times  comments on the informal dress of the chief executive


      
                                                                                 Shot of magazines at Barnes & Noble: Friday January 23, 2009





       North America Issue Cover for Jan 17th 2009





AP January 5, 2009  DC meeting with Biden and Reid

     
   12/22 leaving workout 

  

             President-Elect Barack Obama: 'All Things Are Possible'

Barack Obama at a Chicago school on Tuesday with his pick for education secretary, Arne Duncan, right, and Joseph R. Biden Jr.                            President-elect Barack Obama stands with Health and Human Services Secretary-designate, former Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle, Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008, during a news conference in Chicago. Credit: Charles Dharapak/AP
Obama answers questions from students after announcing his         Obama introduces Tom Daschle as his
pick for education secretary (photo NYT)                                    pick for health and human services secretary (AP)


    
     President-elect Barack Obama speaks during a meeting with former
     VP Al Gore in Obama's transition office in Chicago December 9, 2008.
                                                      (Photo Reuters)


Obama introducing his pick for Veteran's Affairs (Reuters photo)

     Santa Has to Bring a Reality Check
                              Dec.7 appearance on Meet The Press (NBC) photos from AP

 


    Richardson
  Obama taps Richardson for Commerce position (AP photo)

      Obama's team of stars: Can he manage it?
    Obama introduces National Security team   Photo from AP


 

From November 8 Canadian press news story:
Looking presidential behind a massive podium, flanked by advisers and backed by a forest of flags,
Mr. Obama made an important, symbolic appearance yesterday at a Chicago news conference.
Although he won't be president until Jan. 20, 2009, and despite repeatedly making the point
“that we only have one president at a time,” the carefully orchestrated event was designed
to make Mr. Obama look and sound presidential.


  

 


 


France Press Best Photos 2008
Election night (November 4) acceptance speech, Grant Park, Chicago, Illinois