We entered through the U-T’s sweeping empty lobby, passed an antique linotype machine, and rode a wood-paneled elevator – not the best potential backdrops for the head of an operation facing a new era of journalism. The newsroom,  aka cubicle city, didn’t offer much of a setting either so I didn’t press Light when he politely exchanged my portrait ideas with a just-shoot-while-I-talk decline. I’ve had plenty of experience with subjects not interested in posing for a portrait, so it was no skin off my back if he just wanted to bounce light into my camera for an hour – plenty of time to play with angles. All I have to say is thanks for the photons.

In Light’s office we sat at a conference table in front of his desk, next to a large window overlooking a tree and a freeway. It was close to high noon so I could barely see Light’s reflection, but I knew that I could work with the overlay of the reflection and the foliage to add some much-needed color, texture and mood to an otherwise bland office portrait. All I needed to do was make the outside relatively dark, the same way your window turns into a mirror when you turn the lights on at night. So, I boosted my flash, making sure I was mostly illuminating only Light himself to avoid distracting elements from his office. I used my camera’s live-view mode to manually focus, since autofocus in this case would have meant a blurry editor and a tack-sharp freeway onramp.

There was an interesting pool of outtakes from this shoot, with Light’s expression ranging from focused to dreamy.

President Barack Obama meets with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel in the Oval Office at the White House on his first day at his new office. (White House photo by Pete Souza / January 21, 2009)

The Associated Press is reporting that three major media outlets are refusing to distribute White-House provided photos of Obama on his first day because the media is traditionally allowed access to the Oval Office, and that the photos amount to a visual press release.

It looks like the Chicago Tribune had no qualms, though, and ran a story with a photo by official White House photographer Pete Souza.  Obama was lauded earlier this month for Souza’s appointment, and the NPPA’s report noted the crucial condition that his coverage serve as a record of history for future generations, and not just another communications outlet of the new administration.

So, it is especially surprising that it is Souza’s work that is getting this criticism, given his enumerated role as visual historian.

A false first step perhaps.  I hope we don’t see more instances of the Obama administration forgoing the media for its own communications.  It’s great that he wants to speak directly to the people, but no matter how transparent Obama manages to be with his many-headed media machine, independent journalism is irreplacable.