Tampa Photography Blog

The Obama White House is the first to use the photo website Flickr as a way to distribute pictures to news organizations and the public.

The problem that is created by using the popular photo website occurs when news photographers are excluded from meetings and events because an official White House photographer is there to shoot the photo (and distribute it via Flickr), keeping in mind the White House's image is number one priority. News photographers are essential in providing unbiased images from current events because the goal is to document a political event with no agenda.

For example, if there was an abortion rally with people for and against the controversial topic, it would only be fair to have someone document the event without giving preferential treatment to one side or the other. If someone from an abortion clinic or a pro-life organization was documenting the event, it would be almost impossible for them to provide an unbiased account of what happened.

So, when photographers that work for the White House are the only ones that get to document an event, it keeps the White House in control of what images get out to the press and to the public.

This controversy was reignited when Navy SEALs raided Osama Bin Laden’s compound in May and the most iconic image from the mission was taken by a White House staff photographer. The photo is of President Obama and his cabinet in the White House Situation Room watching the raid unfold via live video.

There’s obviously a need for White House staff photographers but I think news photographers are just asking for the same access so they can do their jobs well. Is that too much to ask?

*Photo by Pete Souza, The White House