President Barack Obama, Washington, DC, 2010

“The assignment was to make a portrait of President Obama in the Rose Garden at the White House, but I also had an idea of doing a diptych, photographing a silhouette of the back and front of his head, because it is so recognisable. After we’d finished the cover, I asked if he’d agree to a quick little artistic experiment. ‘Sure,’ he said, ‘go right ahead, what’s your idea?’ So I explained what I wanted to do, and started photographing him from the front, and then I asked him to turn around and everybody started looking in disbelief, like ‘what’s going on, he’s photographing the back of the President?’ Half way through Obama stopped and said ‘Hey Mark, is this going to make my ears look big?’ and I said ‘Absolutely not.’ He stopped a couple of seconds later and said ‘Ok, that’s enough art.’ This was the only picture that was sharp, the rest were a little out of focus because I was so nervous.”

Publication: Rolling Stone. Also featured on the back over of MARK SELIGER PHOTOGRAPHS, 2018
Photographed: The White House, Washington, D.C., September 17, 2010. Published on President Obama’s last day in office, January 2017.

PROPERTY TO BENEFIT: World Central Kitchen
Charity Details: https://wck.org/mission IG: @wckitchen
World Central Kitchen is preparing and packaging over 250,000 fresh meals a day across the U.S to serve families and individuals who are food insecure during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have partnered with restaurants nationwide for the initiative #ChefsforAmerica. This program makes the important connection between those people in need of meals and restaurant workers and drivers who need employment.