Obama lensman recounts surreal days at Oval Office
sharjah — Lawrence Jackson, who served as the White House photographer during Barack Obama’s presidential period, said his experience at the Oval Office was surreal.
“Sometimes, I would be by myself in the office setting up light for a series of departure photos and I would look around the room and imagine all the history that had gone before. The discussions, the decisions and the history,” said Jackson, who covered White House for eight years.
Jackson is among the major guests at Sharjah Xposure 2018, the International Photography Festival that will start on Wednesday at the Expo Centre Sharjah.
Jackson shot many iconic images of the former US president, which will be exhibited at the third edition of Xposure. The event, which is organised by the Sharjah Government Media Bureau, will continue until November 24 and will feature a number of international photojournalists and photographers.
In 2009, Jackson’s career trajectory took him to the White House.
He moved to Boston to work as a staff photographer for the Associated Press in 2000. After two years, he was transferred to the Washington DC bureau where he covered local news, national politics, professional sports teams and the Bush administration in the White House. By 2009, Obama got him.
“Obama presidency functioned in an era where social media was trending with sites like Flickr, Instagram and Facebook. The charismatic US leader wielded a rare influential power that did not exist before. With no day being alike, I documented the president and his administration during top meetings, phone calls with world leaders, public events and basically anything and everything that needed to be covered. I believe good pictures convey genuine emotions and authenticity,” he said.
When asked to name his favourite photograph, he said: “That’s a tough one. It’s like asking me to pick a favourite child.”
“Over eight years, I’ve had my share of favourites. But the ones which really resonated with me usually have moments of history and are sentimentality wrapped in for good measure. After giving his second, and last, inauguration address, president Obama walked back up the stairs into the Capitol Building. But before going all the way, he turned around to get one last look of the crowd. The look on his face was like ‘I want to soak in as much of this moment as I can’. It was a telling picture and one I always think fondly of.”
He said that his techniques in
capturing the presidential moments showcased and, in some manner, influenced the image of Obama and his administration.
About his connection with Sharjah, Jackson said that through a serendipitous friendship, he was connected to Simon Newton, who is the head of creative content at Xposure. “When he asked me to share my photographic journey at the White House in Sharjah, I
jumped at the opportunity. I firmly believe that inspiration is the biggest influencer in the field and finds Xposure to be an event that will allow visitors to get inspired and delve deeper into the world of photography.
“Shoot, shoot, shoot and then shoot some more,” is his advice to aspiring photographers. “Take pictures, find your interests and don’t get caught up in the latest camera gadget or technology. Just shoot photographs and learn who you are along the way. It’s a great journey,” he added.
Upon being asked about the biggest lessons he learned in the span of his career, he remarked: “Take chances. Be open to the moment, because you tend to think that you know what’s going to happen but really, you have no idea.”
Take pictures, find your interests and don’t get caught up in the latest gadget or technology. Just shoot photographs and learn who you are along the way.”
Lawrence Jackson, photographer