Inauguration on Film?

Francis Kuhn · January 28, 2009

Just wondering if anyone shot the inauguration on motion film. Seems like it would be a good idea, and considering the number of Hollywood heavyweights sitting in the front row, I'm hoping someone in that group arranged to have film cameras there.

Does anyone know?

Thanks.

-Fran

Eric Black · January 28, 2009

That's a very good question. I was wondering about that as well. Hopefully we are not missing the romantic, timeless look of film in favor of HD newscameras.

K Borowski · January 28, 2009

I doubt it. He didn't even have his innaugural portrait taken on film. Some wacko with a DSLR. I think before that they were all large-format cameras and big name photographers like Ansel Adams (who did Jimmy Carter, IIRC).

While, in general, I like the guy, he seems like a real tech-head, what with the website, blackberry, and text-messaging supporters.

I do have a (rare) film picture of him, but it is not of the innauguration, and it's a still.

Edited January 28, 2009 by Karl Borowski

Mike Washlesky · January 28, 2009

I doubt it. He didn't even have his innaugural portrait taken on film. Some wacko with a DSLR. I think before that they were all large-format cameras and big name photographers like Ansel Adams (who did Jimmy Carter, IIRC).

While, in general, I like the guy, he seems like a real tech-head, what with the website, blackberry, and text-messaging supporters.

I do have a (rare) film picture of him, but it is not of the innauguration, and it's a still.

Why do you refer to the photog as a "wacko"?

K Borowski · January 28, 2009

Why do you refer to the photog as a "wacko"?

If you were shooting a portrait of the leader of the free world wouldn't you at least step up above small-format digital? Probably hand-held with one light, or an on-camera flash. I mean, the guy, don't know his name off the top of my head, supposedly teaches photography at one of the colleges Obama attended, but he certainly isn't practicing what he should have been preaching all these years.

And look at the photo. He didn't even retouch the dust off of Obama's suit jacket.

The first digital Presidential Portrait has more dust than all of the film pictures that preceded it. . . :rolleyes:

January 28, 2009

Well I wouldn't worry what ever tape format they used to record this event will still be around in 100 years, just the same way film has been around for 100 years.

No need to worry, just ask any HD person.

R,

Ralph Keyser · January 28, 2009

The guy's name is Pete Souza and he's the official White House photographer while on leave from Ohio University where he teaches photojournalism. He's worked for National Geographic and Life Magazine among others, along with being a photographer for Ronald Reagan. So, since he's a photojournalist, I'm not surprised that his tool of choice is a digital still camera (a Canon 5D mark II). The odd choice might have been to have a photojournalist shoot the portrait as opposed to another flavor of photographer,

BTW, I'm guessing it was available light for the portrait.

Francis Kuhn · January 28, 2009

Well I wouldn't worry what ever tape format they used to record this event will still be around in 100 years, just the same way film has been around for 100 years.

No need to worry, just ask any HD person.

R,

Sure. What could possibly go wrong? :)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1715780.htm

-Fran

Walter Graff · January 28, 2009

Sure. What could possibly go wrong? :)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1715780.htm

-Fran

That will get the moon landing conspirators going again.

John Sprung · January 28, 2009

.... big name photographers like Ansel Adams (who did Jimmy Carter, IIRC)...

Adams (1902 - 1984) would have been 74 at the time, and he was still publishing portfolios of his work. So, it's physically possible. But he would have been an odd choice, since his thing was big wilderness landscapes. He did do some commercial and portrait work, but mostly fairly early in his career when he needed the money.

-- J.S.

John Sprung · January 28, 2009

Sure. What could possibly go wrong? :)

> "We're looking for paperwork to see where they last were," Mr Hautaloma said.

Yup, follow the paper trail. That's the way we do it in post. ;-)

-- J.S.

Walter Graff · January 28, 2009

Adams (1902 - 1984) would have been 74 at the time, and he was still publishing portfolios of his work. So, it's physically possible. But he would have been an odd choice, since his thing was big wilderness landscapes. He did do some commercial and portrait work, but mostly fairly early in his career when he needed the money.

-- J.S.

According to this book Ansel Adams: a Biography by Mary Street Adler, 1996 Carter commissioned Adams to do the first official portrait photo. Of course everything out the window looked amazing but Carter was more like a silhouette. Technically he would have been commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery. Adam's had an agenda. As said by John Sexton, a photographer of the event:

"In 1979, I assisted Ansel Adams while he took the official portrait of President Jimmy Carter. Ansel used the 55-minute session as an opportunity to present information directly to the president about the importance of preserving the Alaskan wilderness. It was no coincidence that at the conclusion of this portrait session, Ansel presented the president and first lady with a beautiful print of Mount McKinley and Wonder Lake, Alaska. Not long thereafter, President Carter signed legislation helping to protect the Alaskan wilderness. "

-Sierra Club