©2009 Chicago Tribune
You can’t launch a Chicago blog without including some of its famous denizens. Chicago is in the national consciousness now stronger than ever because of President Obama. I was assigned to shoot his first interview with a newspaper after winning the election. Alas, “No portrait”. I was to meet him in his transitional office after his three layers of security. Fluorescent lights. Sterile. Don’t show the bullet-proof window barriers. Unwilling to walk away with just a talking head of our newest president, I quickly set up a softbox and looked for a mood to show the big issues he was struggling with. Whether you agree with him or not, he seems a thoughtful and introspective person – traits I was looking to capture. I find that photographing executives who only have a few minutes often involves more fast-thinking (technical, aesthetic, and interpersonal persuasion) than shooting spot news as a photojournalist.
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