Griffin News

This interview is dedicated to William Mark Sommer‘s captivating project, A Road Home Along the Lincoln Highway. The series of photographs explores the idea of home and what returning to it means after a polonged absence. Sommer’s project is on view at our annual public outdoor exhibition, Vision(ary) | Portraits of Cultures, Communities, and Environments.

Follow William Mark Sommer:
Website: www.williammarksommer.com
Instagram: @williammarksommer

Interview by Vicente Isaías.

Vicente Isaías: At the risk of being trite, let’s begin with a quote. In The Changing American Countryside (1995), Emery N. Castle states that “rural people and places in America are poorly understood and largely neglected” by the people who write and speak about these communities. What are your thoughts on this topic? And how can photography help us attain a less obfuscated vision of these places?

William Mark Sommer: That’s a wonderful quote, I agree. Many of the people that tell stories about the rural experience are tourists in their own right. Though looked down upon as a word now, many people travel to these places for short amounts of time and leave when it suits them; I have also found myself within the realm of being a tourist through a few of my other projects too. Coming and going with a set amount of time, I feel this mode doesn’t lead to giving a full story, much past the story creators seek to tell. Travel is a great thing to open your mind to everything else in the world, it has been for me, but it can only give with the amount of time we give. 

Many of the higher education centers are also located in the cities, which leads to this topic, but one thing I found positive within the connection to higher learning and rurality is the community college system. Coming from the community college system myself, some of my best teachers got their start in education through the localized community college. Though these schools haven’t had as big of a voice as many of the universities, I feel we will start to see more people that come from these colleges that will speak and share more about their home communities.

VI: A Road Home deals with your quest for making sense of the idea of home after having been gone from your hometown. Where are you originally from and what was life like there before?

WMS: I’m originally from Loomis, California and am currently residing here again. It’s hard to think of it in the same way as my childhood. Growing up in Loomis, it was a quiet old bypassed town on the Lincoln Highway. Though it had economic hardships as many of the larger businesses had left the town with/before the bypass with Interstate-80 the business and people that stayed grew the community to make a truly special place. Loomis was a blue collar place where you knew everyone in town or at least had a friendly hi or how’s it going to everyone we passed by. I always fondly remember going into the drug store and having ice cream with my mom or having fun conversations with the family that owned the local Chinese Restaurant. Though not rich in monetary wealth, It felt like a place that people cared about and who cared for everyone else around them too. Though this might be a nostalgic look at my past, I was happy to be raised here through the 90s.

VI: And what about after? And what made you want to leave?

WMS: When I was younger, I had always dreamed about living in San Francisco, whether it was the city’s connection to art, education and skateboarding, I felt pulled there. Moving to the city was a huge philosophical change that shifted my feelings of home and stretched my concepts of place. Though short lived in SF, I stayed constantly moving back and forth from place to place and across states, all adding to my ideas of home but also losing much of what I had in the process.

Coming back home after 5 years of displaced movement all around the west, I found many of the places I frequented within my youth had closed, been sold or transitioned into something else, this gentrification of the came with a broad change of the rural space as a retirement town was built and many of the open lands were subdivided bringing in a more “higher class of living;” a quote used by them. With these demeaning idealistic changes in my hometown, many people I grew up with no longer could afford to live within the town they also called home. 

VI: How did your personal experiences of returning to your hometown and feeling disconnected shape the direction of this project?

WMS: It was hard returning, both personally and creatively, seeing the gentrification of rural space that happened in my absence was really hard to accept. These challenging feelings truly pulled me to seek out the places that remained and were hopefully un-changed. Driving the main street of my hometown, the Lincoln Highway, became my guide to re-find and connect with these places of my childhood. Though finding some places still remaining, I still didn’t feel whole, it was just a small piece to what was and is home, and then Covid hit. As I worked through finding place, I started to reconnect with the community and friends that I was away from. With the pandemic, it displaced me from being able to connect and create works that weren’t affected by the changes of Covid and it severely changed my ability to connect with anyone outside my house. Coming out of this Covid time, I was charged to connect with people of any sort that related to home, from high school classmates, past relationships, lifelong friends and the people I had the opportunity to meet through creating this series. Developing this side of A Road Home, my connection with the people filled that missing piece, and gave me more direction to my search for home. 

VI: I am a big fan of your work, especially of projects like The Loneliest Highway and Dusted. Why did you choose to shoot on black and white for A Road Home? And how does your film choice reflect storytelling/thematic choices when working in projects where color is prevalent such as, let’s say, 66? 

WMS: Thank you for your kindness about my works. I was really inspired to create in black and white after spending years creating exclusively with color film for 66 and Lost Highway. After using color as a thematic device to convey time with the aesthetics of the 30s-50s culture within those projects, I really wanted to dive into the image and focus on the story. When creating Dusted, I started in both forms of film, but quickly fell in love again with the Black and White image through working with the landscape and the people who inhabited those mining towns. Through Dusted, Black and White became my way of seeing creatively and really charged me to think about, see the topic and convey the story within the image as I pursued new projects back home. When creating A Road Home it felt natural to see and document the landscape in a similar way to Dusted, but as I spent more time in the field it took on its own shape.

VI: What equipment are you using to capture these photographs? What cameras kept you company along the road?

WMS: Through this series, I used a Hasselblad 500c/m with a 80mm lens. This camera became my way of visualizing the world around me and helped me work through and create many of my other works too. The Hasselblad has been my favorite camera to work with but I’ve recently been challenging myself and expanding back into old and new projects that utilize 4×5, 35mm and digital too. When traveling now, I keep this diverse range of cameras with me to engage with the landscape in the best way from slow to fast; it has made it an interesting way of visualizing the road.

VI: What is your editing process like, or in other words, what makes a good photograph?

WMS: I feel my editing and sequencing of photos changes between projects, from focusing on linearity to creating chapters for the book to adding a few surprises for the viewer. Sometimes the best photograph won’t work in sequence with others, but it’s about finding the photos that best fit the story. In the creation of this project, I used the road to guide my sequence and development, starting at one end then going to another. Working though this sequence with a book in mind, I feel it takes the viewer through my story of finding home again.

In focusing on the handling of film, I like to work in the darkroom range of editing. I came from a darkroom style of working and I look to focus on keeping the scanned film the same way, but with the added dust spotting corrections too. 

I couldn’t tell you what would exactly make the perfect or good photograph, it’s up to the viewer to find what works best for them.

VI: Highways as metaphors for loneliness and seeking home are prevalent in art, literature, and music. Are there any writers, visual artists, or musicians that have inspired you or accompanied you in your search for home? 

WMS: I feel when developing and working on a project a soundtrack definitely addresses many feelings we all work towards. In the creation of The Loneliest Highway Project, I had Radiohead’s OK Computer and The Bends on repeat as I traveled through Nevada. Those soundtracks truly spoke to me through that time. With this project about home, I tended to switch between the local radio stations, everything from country, 90’s pop, alternative to old school R&B and hip hop. I feel listening to these stations connected me closer with the tastes of different parts of my childhood. It might add to the nostalgic views within this project, but the radio truly used to hold so much in the creation of mine/our music interest. It’s always amazing when you catch that song that fits the mood perfectly at the right time.

Having conversations with everyone pictured within this series helped truly grow, inspired and advanced my ideas the most through creating this work. Asking everyone what home was to them truly gave me a larger picture of what home is to me.

VI: What inspired you to want to “inspire others to cherish these places and moments that feel like home” before they change?

WMS: I feel that my loss of community and seeing so many places close and change, isn’t just an experience for me. Crossing the US multiple times by car, I’ve seen many other communities shift from boom to bust and into growth much like my own. I look for this work to show that these places and people make up my feeling of home and that we all don’t last forever. Please take the time to enjoy them while in the moment, because time inevitably changes everything. 

VI: How do you see this project relating to broader themes of nostalgia, change, and our relationship to place?

WMS: I feel it relates to all those themes in many ways from trying to find the home I have in my memory to seeing how it has changed over time and how it is now a different place that is progressively still moving on. Our feelings of place constantly change through our own perceptions and growth as people, trying to see this place as it was in my memory is futile, but growing with it or finding a new way to envision home in a different context is a more positive creative experience, I look to follow. 

William Mark Sommer is a visual artist creating along and through America’s Highways. Embracing spontaneity within an intuitive practice along the road, Sommer seeks to engage and come together with these spaces that were bypassed by society, much like his hometown of Loomis, California. In creating photographic works through the road, Sommer seeks to bring attention to the left behind to promote preservation and love of these unique people and rural spaces.Through Sommer’s practice within analog photography, he has earned a BFA in Art Photography from Arizona State University and traversed the United States developing multiple projects that engage with themes of human nature, preservation, empathy and time. Sommer has exhibited and taken part projects across North America and Europe; venues including, The International Photography Hall of Fame and Museum, Center For Fine Art Photography, Masur Museum of Art, Griffen Museum of Photography, Yellowstone Museum of Art, Center For Photography, Midwest Center for Photographic Art, Belfast Photo Festival, Incadaques International Photo Festival, Northlight Gallery, His awards include Life Framer’s First Prize Award Selected by Alex Prager and British Journal of Photography & 1854 Media “Open Walls” and “Decade of Change,” refocus Awards Color Award “3rd Overall,” and a first place in the Still Life Category of the 2023 Chromatic Awards; Sommer has also taken part in residencies with Chalk Hill in Sonoma, CA, Open Wabi, Fredericktown, Ohio and Off The Cost, Online; He has been featured in publications like Lenscratch, Another-Earth, Stay Wild magazine, Lodown Magazine, Aint Bad, Booooooom, C41 magazine, Nowhere Diary, Fiiiirst and Subjectively Objective.

Today’s special feature is dedicated to the striking and beautifully somber work of Diana Nicholette Jeon, a fine art photographer exploring issues of loss, memory, and dreams. With her varied use of photographic formats and mixed-media techniques, When the Stars Fell From the Sky is a project that guides us through the artist’s most personal journey of resilience and grief. Throughout the images, we encounter an artist exploring her past oeuvre, repurposing it to make sense of a series of turbulent and testing events. Jeon’s images — oneiric, visceral, and unabashedly evocative of our most conflicting emotions — capture the layers and complexities of trauma. As challenging as the path might be, Jeon’s work invites us to steadily overcome it by inviting us to look inward and beyond, even to the watery landscapes of our dreams.

Diana’s website: www.diananicholettejeon.com
Diana’s Instagram: @diananicholettejeon

Diana Nicholette Jeon’s internationally exhibited work explores universal themes of loss, dreams, memory, and female identity via metaphor and personal narrative. Solo exhibitions include the Honolulu Museum of Art (HI), Honolulu Printmakers (HI); Blue SkyGallery (OR); Garage Gallery (NY), 2022 and 2020 HeadOn Photo Festival, Disorder Gallery (Sydney, AU), A Smith Gallery (TX) and Kirsch Gallery (HI). Her work has been recognized in award competitions such as LensCulture, Photolucida’s Critical Mass, the Julia Margaret Cameron awards, and Mira Mobile, and published in a wide variety photography magazines. Jeon’s art is held in public and private collections worldwide, including four works in the permanent collection of the State of Hawai’i. Jeon writes about photography for OneTwelve Publications and FRAMES magazine. She holds an MFA in Imaging and Digital Art from UMBC and resides with her husband and son in Honolulu, HI.

When the Stars Fell From the Sky

In ancient Greek mythology, Acheron was known as the “river of woe,” the “river of pain,” and the “river of lost souls.” The Suda describes the river as “a place of healing…cleansing and purging the sins of humans.” For a season of 860 days, my husband left…me, our son, our home. For 860 days, I felt as if I was sitting on the banks of Acheron, awaiting my healing and my husband’s “return from the underworld.” 

We all think we know what we would do when entangled in such a situation, yet the reality is that we have no idea until we are confronted by it. The experience directly affects one’s sense of self, self-confidence, and emotional stability. I was broken; a fragment of myself–I couldn’t even make art. I mourned my marriage and missed my husband while I tried to mitigate the impact on our son. Well-meaning friends told me to “file for divorce” or to “move on and find a new guy.” But I wanted nothing more than to have my family intact once again. 

Desperately trying to find the light while riding a rollercoaster that I never got in line for, I was steeped in the palpable unknowability of a new normal that was entirely abnormal, as if a limb had been amputated. I felt utterly alone, that no one understood, that the pain would never stop. There was no beginning, middle, or end. There just was. There were times of shame or deep sadness, interspersed with interludes of peace. Yet I held on tightly to my faith and hopes. 

My experience ended with reconciliation, but faint scars remain. Consciously reliving this experience is at once both difficult and cathartic. Yet I feel that by sharing my trauma via this work, others experiencing similar grief may feel less alone in their pain, more able to endure and survive it, and ultimately, may learn–as I did–that they have more strength than they know is possible.

What inspired your journey into photography?

I always liked taking pictures; I used my dad’s Brownie whenever he let me. I always took snapshots of my friends or trips during HS and beyond, but I mainly used a point-and-shoot film camera. Later on, when I returned to school, I immediately fell in love with the darkroom. It was magic. I especially liked the purposeful misuse of process or process alterations to change images’ appearance. I also got my first taste of using Photoshop at that time, and again, it was due to the same power to change images to how I envisioned them rather than how the camera recorded them.

What prompted the creation of your this project?

The series was born out of a dark period when everything I knew as my life had fallen apart.

What have been the biggest challenges working on this project and how did you overcome them?

The biggest challenges have been personal. When you work from life experience, you are forced to mentally review the experiences you speak about via the imagery. Psychologists have done research contending that you actually relive the event when you do this. I’ve found that to be true for me. I have to be in a specific mental space to want and be able to go back and relive this particularly debilitating time over and over as I work on the project. It also means the work is slow going. Although it is finished as a series of images, I have been working on making it a book, which I always envisioned from the outset. Getting a combination of three different series merged down to their essence means spending a lot of mental time in that swamp. It is wearying. 

The other challenge is that that period was tumultuous and out of my personal control, like riding someone else’s rollercoaster. How do you give a viewer that experience in a book form that translates to them feeling some of the same experience? What fonts express grief and loss of self? How much writing is necessary to make the point vs. allowing the viewer enough space to impart their life experience on the work? I prefer enigma and nuance rather than making my work didactic. Even though I’ve made the images, I’m still working through these issues.

Tell us more about one or more of your selected photographs from this series.

This book project, When the Stars Fell From the Sky, draws upon work from three different series I have made about different aspects of this unexpected life event. 

Sinking is a a diptych combining an image I shot on at a beach park in Hilo and a self portrait I made in a resort pool on Maui. Both were made during this grief-filled period, and I feel that in their own way, each image is filled with a sense of loss or desperation. Combining them as a diptych adds to that sense. 

Chaos combines an a double-exposure I made of myself screaming with an image I shot in Waipio, Hi. The house had been overtaken by decades of wild plant growth,hence being trapped within it. Together, they spoke to how I felt some days within that dark period.

What drives your continued passion for creating?

My father was a sculptor, I have been around art and museums ever since I can remember. I started making art in early childhood. Being an artist is the essence of who I am as a human. I can no more stop creating than I can stop breathing.

Today we highlight the work of Susan Rosenberg Jones, a portrait and documentary photographer based in New York City. Her work explores themes of home, family, community, identity, aging, love, and relationships.

Susan’s website: www.susanrosenbergjones.com
Susan’s Instagram: @susanrosenbergjones

Widowed

There is nothing like the grief one experiences after a life partner passes away. When Susan Rosenberg Jones lost her first husband in 2008, she searched for books and articles addressing this loss. She was looking for suggestions on coping techniques from others who’d been widowed. There wasn’t much.

She remarried in 2012. After focusing on her loving relationship with her second husband, Joel in her body of work Second Time Around, she realized that her feelings about her first husband’s passing were still evolving, bubbling up occasionally at random times.

Since March of 2018, she meets with widows and widowers of all ages, gay and straight, having been in legal marriages or in committed partnerships. They have a conversation, recorded for accuracy, and she makes the portrait. A printed statement from the subject accompanies each photograph. This process is emotionally satisfying as she and her sitters examine together how a marriage can shape a person moving through life. Rosenberg Jones hopes that by sharing their stories, those suffering this profound loss – whether recently or not – will take comfort in recognition and shared experience.

What inspired your journey into photography?

I started very young. As a child, I would peruse my parents’ books and magazines that were on low shelves I could reach. There were several Coronet magazines that had photography features: Steichen, Stieglitz, Edward Weston, etc. I would stare at those photographs for hours.

Then a local mom noted my interest in photography – I had been wandering about the neighborhood, using my Brownie camera – and gifted me with a “how to” book of photography. 

I loved that book and used its guidance to set up my first portrait shoot – my little brother and a neighborhood girl. My brother still hates this picture – sorry, Bill! 

Later, when I was a young teen, I was exploring an old graveyard in Boston with a friend, and a kid with a camera around his neck approached us and took us to a place called the Boston Film Center, where a wonderful man taught kids for free to use cameras, and develop, and print. That was it for me! 

What prompted the creation of your project Widowed?

I lost my husband of 32 years in 2008, and after he passed, I tried to find books that would help me process the mix of feelings I was experiencing. I was only 57 and none of my friends were losing their partners at that stage. I felt alone and there was nothing I could find that could speak to me. I wanted to hear what others in my situation would have to say.

Then after I remarried, I began photographing my husband Joel, culminating in Second Time Around. I still felt there was a story I needed to tell, so I started work on Widowed – which was then titled Widow/er.

My objective from the very beginning was to create a book like what I wished I’d had when my husband died. There is no book, but the body of work as it was presented at the Griffin and as appears on my website is in the form that suits my intention.

Tell us more about one of your selected photographs.

This image of Darrell was my first in the Widowed series. It was in March of 2018. We arranged for me to visit Darrell at home. His partner of 25 years, Roger had died a year and a half before our meeting. Darrell set his coffee table with champagne flutes, cheese, and fruit exactly as he and Roger would have it on their Saturday nights before going out for the evening. The lighting that day was difficult as the weather outside was grey and rainy and there was little light inside. Looking at it now, I see the environment’s rich colors and muted tones reflecting Darrell’s mood.

How has your project Widowed evolved since your exhibition at the Griffin?

Since my exhibition at the Griffin, my project has grown to feature 51 participants. A couple of years ago I organized the project on my website and now the statement of the participant appears under each portrait. I also added in a “recommended reading” page, a page of poetry, a “helpful links” page, and a “participate” page inviting potential sitters. 

I also started an Instagram page for Widowed that links from my Instagram page. I’m still interested in making a book, but the right opportunity has not yet come along.

 I haven’t been actively seeking participants at this stage but will gladly welcome anyone interested to contact me. I take pleasure in the process of making these portraits and talking with my sitters.

One gratifying aspect is that several of my widows have contacted me since their portrait sessions, telling me they started to date, met someone, still looking, etc. I love keeping in touch.

What have been the biggest challenges for you as a photographer and how did you overcome them?

I’ve had all sorts of challenges as a photographer:

Being short and looking upward at my subjects – I would love to be taller than them but even eye level would be great. A stepstool or looking at someone sitting down – there’s always a solution.

With certain of my projects, I contact people to sit for me. Many times, they say “no”, and that can be a challenge. I try and stay flexible, as the nature of a series can be shaped by its participants. So, I need to let it flow as it comes with respect for the process, and for the people who do participate.

Keeping things fresh and getting out of my comfort zone is an ongoing challenge. To get out of a real or perceived rut, I either take a break and immerse myself in reading fiction, or take my camera to Coney Island and photograph the people, the colors, the excitement – and that revives my spirit.

What drives your continued passion for creating?

I get a visceral thrill when photographing, editing, and sequencing. People sometimes remark that I’m smiling when taking their picture. And it’s that being “in the zone” that drives me to do it again and again.

At this stage in my life (I’m 72), I’m not climbing a ladder or trying to prove myself out there. Margaret Mead said, “There is no greater power in the world than the zest of a postmenopausal woman.”  She was right! I have the energy for creative activities now just like when I was a teenager.

I love all the arts and find viewing art, reading fiction, seeing plays and films, and dance stimulating. I also love being with friends and in my various community circles. I derive ideas and inspiration from all of it.

In The Room Where it Happened: A Survey Of Presidential Photographers
January 12 – March 31, 2024

Our understanding of the U.S. presidency is largely shaped by images. Photographs of political campaigns, international engagements, historic legislation, and national tragedy, accompany more intimate family scenes and humanizing portraits, each contributing to the global perception of the American presidency for generations to come.

Featuring the work of the official White House photographers Shealah Craighead, Eric Draper, Michael Evans, Sharon Farmer, David Hume Kennerly, Bob McNeely, Yoichi Okamoto, Adam Schultz, Pete Souza, David Valdez and staff photographer Joyce Boghosian, this group has shaped our vision of the presidency for the last 6 decades.

Presidential photography highlights the complex nature of creativity, documentation and portraiture. Each photographers’ perspective and stories provide context for framing important moments, giving viewers a deeper understanding of the challenges and rewards of documenting the presidency, offering a comprehensive and insightful visual narrative of the U.S. presidency through the lens of these dedicated and talented photographers.

About Eric Draper –

Eric Draper served as President George W Bush!s chief White House photographer for the entire eight years of his presidency. Draper was named Special Assistant to the President, and is the first White House photographer to be named a commissioned officer to a U.S. president. Also during his tenure, Draper directed the photographic and archival conversion of the White House Photo Office from film to digital and took nearly 1 million photos documenting the presidency. Prior to joining the White House, Draper was West Regional Enterprise Photographer for the Associated Press. In eight years with the AP, Draper covered an array of domestic and international news and sports. Draper has also worked as a staff photographer for The Seattle Times, the Pasadena Star-News and the Albuquerque Tribune. He won the Associated Press Managing Editors’ Award for three consecutive years, the 1999 National Headliner Award and was named 1992 Photographer of the Year by Scripps Howard Newspapers. Draper is currently a freelance corporate, and editorial photographer based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico where he lives with his wife and three dogs. He is an obsessive LA Laker fan. 

Interview with Eric Draper, Chief White House photo director and personal photographer for U.S. President George W. Bush

How do you approach capturing the essence of a U.S. President through your lens?

Like any story that I start I try not to have too many preconceived ideas before I start making photos, but I do like to have plenty of background knowledge of the story. I would rather have the story play out in front of me, and then decipher the storyline in real time and in the post editing process. There was always something I didn’t see when I was shooting the photo that I saw later in the editing process. I loved those surprises.

How do you navigate the balance between capturing authentic moments and respecting the president’s privacy?

Respecting the president’s privacy is the most important thing when covering the presidency. I want the present to be as comfortable as possible during my presence in his life. There is a fine line between respecting privacy and being where you need to be in order to get the photo. It was more of a give-and-take every day, but I always tried to gauge the president’s comfort level first before I got any closer both physically or intimately. After spending eight years watching him everyday, I can tell by the tone of the president’s voice if he was having a good day or a bad day or a day.

Are there specific rituals or routines you follow when preparing for a presidential photoshoot?

I always followed the president’s routine which seemed to work the best. When he would eat, I would eat. When he would work out, I would work out. When he would go use the restroom. I would use the restroom. I wouldn’t miss a thing when I followed his routine. President Bush had a very specific daily routine. He was an early riser and he was early to bed. I could actually plan my day or plan my week because he really stuck to his schedule.

Can you discuss the importance of visual storytelling in conveying the president’s narrative through your photographs?

On the Pennsylvania Avenue side of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC reads the inscription “Study the Past”. I hope that’s what scholars and the public will do with my photographs of the presidency of George W. Bush. The importance of the Bush photo archive will gain more importance as time goes by.

What role does collaboration play between you and other members of the presidential communication team?

I had a role on the communication team for President George W. Bush, but I also knew that my role had a higher purpose. I tried to document reality while the communications team tried to promote president Bush’s daily message. The communications team used more of a political lens in filtering images. I tried to see my images in a historical context.

Is there a specific image or moment that most encapsulates your vision, or that you are most proud of? Among the millions of images taken during an administration, is there one that meets your measure of success in securing the history of that moment, whether it be significant or minor?

I have many, many images that I’m proud of. There were a handful of images to stand out. For example, all of the images on 9/11 were very intense and told the story. There is one image that stands out in my mind in the over million photos I took in the eight years. This photo captured President George W. Bush’s personality and character. The image was taken on his ranch in Crawford, Texas as the president drove his pickup truck in August of 2001. He is wearing an iconic cowboy hat in the picture. He is in profile. He has a twinkle in his eye, the same twinkle that he has when he connects with people, but the timing of image is more important. That Image was taken a month before 9/11. Every time I see that photo, I see a sense of innocence before the world changed.

What does it mean for you to be in conversation with so many photographers who share similar journeys in this exhibitions? Has it allowed to see your practice under a different light?

I find it fascinating that each White House photographer has such a similar subject, but such a different way of seeing their president in photos.

Behind the Lens: Curatorial Insights with Crista Dix

Why is a show like this so critical at this moment in time?

It was important to me in this election year to remember what is at stake here in our country. Remembering who we are as a country and that our diversity is our strength is vital to our success as a democracy. In the Room Where it Happened is a look at power and perception. As the most visible person in the world for our democratic state, the President of the United States is a visual reminder of all that America represents. What was important to me in curating this exhibition is how each of these photographers balanced their unique vision, the shared vision of their principal and creating a lasting document for history, all in a split second. Their vision shapes ours, their view of history is our view of history.

What ideas do you hope the show sparks in people’s minds?

This cohort of photographers has all had a ringside seat to our history, our shared experience. What was important for me was to celebrate the visions of these historians and documentarians behind the camera. What I hope for people to see is to be reminded of our shared history, to remember the peaceful transfer of power, of how working together we can solve problems. This exhibition also shows in a subtle way the expectation of how we see our president, how through time our expectation of that vision has changed, evolved and become more human. These photographers use their creative vision to stop time.

Where did the idea of the exhibition come from?

It started with a conversation of one of our board members, Lou Jones. It was meant to be a smaller scale exhibition, and I took it further than planned. As an armchair historian, I couldn’t wait to have these photographers write their own history. Always the silent partner in the room, I was looking forward to seeing them speak with their vision. My conversations with each photographer taught me more about history, theirs and ours, about the craft of photography and about their vision, and I hope that comes through as people walk the exhibition and see all the details captured in each frame.

In The Room Where it Happened: A Survey Of Presidential Photographers
January 12 – March 31, 2024

Our understanding of the U.S. presidency is largely shaped by images. Photographs of political campaigns, international engagements, historic legislation, and national tragedy, accompany more intimate family scenes and humanizing portraits, each contributing to the global perception of the American presidency for generations to come.

Featuring the work of the official White House photographers Shealah Craighead, Eric Draper, Michael Evans, Sharon Farmer, David Hume Kennerly, Bob McNeely, Yoichi Okamoto, Adam Schultz, Pete Souza, David Valdez and staff photographer Joyce Boghosian, this group has shaped our vision of the presidency for the last 6 decades.

Presidential photography highlights the complex nature of creativity, documentation and portraiture. Each photographers’ perspective and stories provide context for framing important moments, giving viewers a deeper understanding of the challenges and rewards of documenting the presidency, offering a comprehensive and insightful visual narrative of the U.S. presidency through the lens of these dedicated and talented photographers.

About Joyce Boghosian

What began as a three-month internship at the White House Photo Office in 1988 was the start of a career spanning six U.S. presidents. Joyce Naltchayan Boghosian was mentored in her earlier years by her late father, renowned Washington Post photographer for 35 years, Harry Naltchayan. She began working as a photographer at local community newspapers. During the last three months of President Ronald Reagan’s administration, she interned at the White House Photography Office. In 1989, under the direction of President George H. W. Bush’s personal photographer David Valdez, she was hired as a photo assistant for the full term of the administration. In 1994, she joined Agence France-Presse International Wire Service (AFP) as a staff photojournalist at the Washington, DC bureau, mostly assigned to the White House Press Corps covering President Bill Clinton.

Boghosian left AFP wire service in 2004 to once again join the White House photo team under the direction of Chief Photographer Eric Draper. This time she served as an official White House photographer, covering President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush. She documented their daily schedule, both official and personal, at the White House as well as on domestic and foreign travel. In January 2009, she was held over by the Obama administration. She continued her duties as White House photographer under the direction of Chief Photographer Pete Souza, who mostly assigned her to First Lady Michelle Obama. After the first few months of the Obama administration, she left her position to be with her three young children.

Boghosian returned to the White House Photo Office in 2017 under the direction of Chief Photographer Shealah Craighead as an official photographer during President Donald J. Trump’s administration. During these unprecedented times, she documented the president’s daily meetings as the coronavirus evolved, adding to the daily challenges and intense environment.

Her work has taken her to foreign countries, where she has photographed leaders from all around the world. Highlights in her career were photographing three administration’s transition days in the Oval Office, P.M. Margaret Thatcher, President Mikhail Gorbachev, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, Pope John Paul II, the funeral of Jordan’s King Hussein, and five U.S. Presidents standing together in the Oval Office at the White House. Boghosian is currently a freelance photographer based in the Washington, DC area.

Interview with Joyce Boghosian

How do you approach capturing the essence of a U.S. President through your lens?. 

Over the span of three decades, from 1988 to 2021, I had the privilege of working in various photographic roles in and around the White House. My journey included serving as an official White House photographer during the administrations of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald J. Trump. Through these experiences, I gained a profound understanding of the weight of the Office of the President and learned how to navigate around the presidents and first ladies.  When given the responsibility to document their daily schedules, it was crucial to be unobtrusive, patient, observant, respectful of the Office, and truthful to my mission. Despite their powerful positions, their human side helped keep me grounded and focused on my task. Capturing these moments not only served as a testament to their place in history but also provided me with invaluable insights into the complexities of their roles.

How do you navigate the balance between capturing authentic moments and respecting the president’s privacy?

Balancing the authenticity of moments with the respect for the president’s privacy has consistently presented one of the most challenging aspects of my experience as an official White House photographer. Each president has the prerogative to decline official photography at times, a reality I encountered firsthand. However, I also had the privilege of capturing numerous personal events, from intimate family gatherings to milestone occasions like a first family’s tour of the White House. While I cherished these opportunities, I remained acutely aware of the boundaries between official and private time, knowing when it was appropriate to discreetly step back from their personal space. Navigating these boundaries was important to my approach.

Are there specific rituals or routines you follow when preparing for a presidential photoshoot?

The Director of the White House Photo Office played a key role in establishing the framework for how their supporting photographers covered the President and First Lady’s daily schedule. Having worked across multiple presidential administrations, I experienced certain similarities and protocols carried over from one administration to the next.  Each president brought their unique preferences and style to the Office. Personally, this meant adapting to their level of comfort while being photographed throughout the day. This flexibility not only challenged my skills but also deepened my understanding of the nuances in capturing presidential moments.

Can you discuss the importance of visual storytelling in conveying the president’s narrative through your photographs?

Each day at the White House I approached my task with the conviction that I was actively recording history. My contribution along with the other staff photographers helped shape the overall picture of historical events that eventually would define the President’s legacy.

What role does collaboration play between you and other members of the presidential communication team?

Maintaining communication with the President’s aides is crucial for capturing behind the scenes photos during both his public and private engagements throughout the day.  The Oval Office is profoundly impacted by major world events, regardless of their proximity, underscoring its pivotal role in global affairs. Staying alert and aligned with the President’s inner circle is vital to successfully document his activities. 

Is there a specific image or moment that most encapsulates your vision, or that you are most proud of? Among the millions of images taken during an administration, is there one that meets your measure of success in securing the history of that moment, whether it be significant or minor? 

On January 7, 2009, I had the extraordinary opportunity to photograph a historic gathering in the Oval Office. U.S. President George W. Bush graciously hosted President-elect Barack Obama, along with former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Bill Clinton for lunch, just two weeks before the Inauguration. This momentous occasion marked the first time since 1981 that all living past, present, and future Presidents met at the White House. The significance of this event was deeply personal for me, as my late father, Washington Post Photographer Harry Naltchayan, had captured a similar historic gathering on October 8, 1981. On that day, U.S. President Reagan met with former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, and Richard Nixon before their departure to the funeral of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. Notably, his photograph from their press conference was honored with a first place award in the 1982 World Press Photo Contest. 

What does it mean for you to be in conversation with so many photographers who share similar journeys in this exhibitions? Has it allowed to see your practice under a different light?

I am deeply appreciative to The Griffin Museum for featuring my work among this collection of significant and impactful images. Throughout my time at the White House, I have held great admiration for the photographs created by the President’s Chief Photographers. They have not only set the standard for documenting the presidency but have also paved the way for future generations. It was truly captivating to hear their firsthand accounts and insights during our lunch discussions, offering a unique perspective on the evolution of the White House photo office over time.

Behind the Lens: Curatorial Insights with Crista Dix

Why is a show like this so critical at this moment in time?

It was important to me in this election year to remember what is at stake here in our country. Remembering who we are as a country and that our diversity is our strength is vital to our success as a democracy. In the Room Where it Happened is a look at power and perception. As the most visible person in the world for our democratic state, the President of the United States is a visual reminder of all that America represents. What was important to me in curating this exhibition is how each of these photographers balanced their unique vision, the shared vision of their principal and creating a lasting document for history, all in a split second. Their vision shapes ours, their view of history is our view of history.

What ideas do you hope the show sparks in people’s minds?

This cohort of photographers has all had a ringside seat to our history, our shared experience. What was important for me was to celebrate the visions of these historians and documentarians behind the camera. What I hope for people to see is to be reminded of our shared history, to remember the peaceful transfer of power, of how working together we can solve problems. This exhibition also shows in a subtle way the expectation of how we see our president, how through time our expectation of that vision has changed, evolved and become more human. These photographers use their creative vision to stop time.

Where did the idea of the exhibition come from?

It started with a conversation of one of our board members, Lou Jones. It was meant to be a smaller scale exhibition, and I took it further than planned. As an armchair historian, I couldn’t wait to have these photographers write their own history. Always the silent partner in the room, I was looking forward to seeing them speak with their vision. My conversations with each photographer taught me more about history, theirs and ours, about the craft of photography and about their vision, and I hope that comes through as people walk the exhibition and see all the details captured in each frame.

In The Room Where it Happened: A Survey Of Presidential Photographers
January 12 – March 31, 2024

Our understanding of the U.S. presidency is largely shaped by images. Photographs of political campaigns, international engagements, historic legislation, and national tragedy, accompany more intimate family scenes and humanizing portraits, each contributing to the global perception of the American presidency for generations to come.

Featuring the work of the official White House photographers Shealah Craighead, Eric Draper, Michael Evans, Sharon Farmer, David Hume Kennerly, Bob McNeely, Yoichi Okamoto, Adam Schultz, Pete Souza, David Valdez and staff photographer Joyce Boghosian, this group has shaped our vision of the presidency for the last 6 decades.

Presidential photography highlights the complex nature of creativity, documentation and portraiture. Each photographers’ perspective and stories provide context for framing important moments, giving viewers a deeper understanding of the challenges and rewards of documenting the presidency, offering a comprehensive and insightful visual narrative of the U.S. presidency through the lens of these dedicated and talented photographers.

About David Valdez –

After graduating from high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, David Valdez enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he was trained as a photographer. He served with the 836th Combat Support Group for four years, and then earned a BA in journalism from the University of Maryland at College Park. While he was a student there, Valdez was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a photographer. He left the federal government to become chief photographer for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In 1983, he became personal photographer to then-Vice President George Bush. In 1988, President Bush appointed Valdez Director of the White House Photo Office. During this administration, he traveled to 75 countries and all 50 states with the President. In 1997, he published George Herbert Walker Bush: A Photographic Profile.

Valdez was appointed General Manager of Photography for Walt Disney Company in 1993. In 2001, he became special assistant to the HUD Assistant Secretary. From 2003 to 2010, Valdez was the Director of Visual and Electronic Information for HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs.

Valdez donated his archive to the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas in 2012.

In 2021 Valdez was appointed to the Georgetown Texas Arts and Culture Board where he serves as Chairman. David is also on the Board of the Williamson Museum and is Founder and Host of the Texas Photography Festival.

Interview with David Valdez, Chief Official White House Photographer from 1989 to 1993, during the presidency of George H. W. Bush

How do you approach capturing the essence of a U.S. President through your lens?

David Valdez: I was fortunate to have been Vice President Bush’s photographer for 6 years before becoming the President’s photographer, so I had developed a personal relationship with President George H.W. Bush. He interjected into a “Today Show” interview that I was doing; he said, “He might not like this, but Bar and I consider him a part of our family.” Knowing that, I was free to go anywhere and photograph whatever I wanted. 

One of my most famous photographs was of George and Barbara Bush in bed with some of their grandchildren. “Life” magazine ran that photo double truck the first time, then “Life” published the photo several more times, including in “Classic Moments in Life” and “The Best of Life” for the past 75 years.

I was always concerned with missing the moment because President Bush was very active and athletic, so he was moving fast. He didn’t wait, so I had to anticipate what was going on but also concern myself with the existing light and mood of a situation. Sometimes, documenting a situation didn’t necessarily mean that every element in a scene was perfect, but that was part of the deal. 

I did not consider myself political, but I did respect President Bush. I saw the behind-the-scenes of how he treated people and was so gracious to others. Even though he was President of the United States, he looked up to the institution of the Presidency and respected that more than anything else. He used to say the most important things to him were his family, faith, and friends. Working with someone with those values made it easy to approach each day with my camera to capture history. 

In June of 2024, it will be the 100th anniversary of his birthday. I hope I did him justice with the images I captured during his presidency.

How do you navigate the balance between capturing authentic moments and respecting the president’s privacy?

DV: President George H.W. Bush was a family man first, but he brought me into the family so many times. As an example, when his mother was on her deathbed, he asked me to come in and take one last photo with his mother. When his daughter had her first son, we went to the hospital to see his new grandson. The nurse would not let him in to hold his new grandson, so while he talked to the nurse, the Secret Service held the door open so I could get a photo of the new baby.

In the Soviet Union, we went to President Gorbachev’s home in the suburbs of Moscow. When we got there, he noticed that Gorbachev’s photographer was not there. Apparently, the photographer had never been there. President Bush said he couldn’t start the meeting until Gorbachev’s photographer was there, so we waited till he showed up. In Jordan, we met with King Abdullah. The King was curious about me. President Bush said not to worry because I was a friend and it was okay for me to take photos. I knew when I needed to leave a situation. I didn’t need to be there for an entire meeting, but I could stay as long as I wanted, but I just knew when to leave. I think he respected that effort on my part, and that gave me maybe more access.

During the beginning of the first Gulf War, I was asked to come into the Oval Office. When I got there, I realized the Gulf War was about to start. He realized the importance of having photos of the moment, but it was so classified I was locked in the Oval Office and not allowed to leave for 12 hours. I think by then, we had developed a relationship that went beyond the President and photographer, but a trust in the role I was playing in his Presidency.

I’ll never forget when the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union collapsed, several of his political appointees wanted him to go to Berlin, stand on the wall, wave the flag, and say we won the Cold War. He said no, “It’s not our victory; it’s their victory, and if I go, some rough Russian General will launch missiles.” 30 some years later, I am at a meeting with a Ukrainian missionary who had been in the Soviet Army. He said he was so proud that President Bush did not go to Berlin that he carried a picture of President Bush in his wallet all these years. The photo he showed the audience was my photo.

Are there specific rituals or routines you follow when preparing for a presidential photoshoot?

DV: I used to receive three Presidential schedules. The first was a block schedule that showed the whole month, with maybe a two or three-day trip somewhere in the United States. The second schedule was a weekly schedule that would show a CIA briefing, a Cabinet meeting, a night at the Kennedy Center, and so forth. The third schedule was a daily, minute-by-minute schedule of everything the President would do on that day.

I would start the day by making sure batteries were fresh for my camera and flash. The key was just to be there and be ready for anything. You could go to work one morning at the White House and end up anywhere in the world by the end of the day. A regular day was 15 hours, but it was like this 7 days a week.

Can you discuss the importance of visual storytelling in conveying the president’s narrative through your photographs?

DV: Every day brought a new story. As long as I was there, I felt confident in capturing the essence of the day, whether it related to something that happened earlier or anticipated future events. The goal was always to capture history in the making, and despite having a daily schedule, the unpredictability of each day meant you never truly knew what you might encounter. There were off-the-record moments that arose spontaneously—like dropping by a football team practice or the President going into a store to buy a Valentine’s Day card for the First Lady.

One significant event I recall vividly is President George H.W. Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. I remember that day on the South Lawn of the White House. Now, 30 years later, whenever I see handicap parking spots, curb cuts for wheelchairs, or handicap-accessible entrances to buildings, I’m reminded that these exist because President Bush had the vision to make it law so many years ago.

What role does collaboration play between you and other members of the presidential communication team?

DV: The most crucial individuals to me, aside from the President, were the Advance Team. This team was responsible for setting up events and creating photo opportunities for the media, such as positioning a USA flag on the wall, arranging a step-and-repeat background with a particular message, or deciding who would be on stage with the President.

Whenever I disembarked from Air Force One, a member of the Advance Team would approach me and discreetly inform me of what they considered the “shot of the day” for that event. Having spent days preparing, they were well-versed in the lighting and the best angles. I prioritized those shots first, as I was new to the location, and then I would capture an over-the-shoulder shot to showcase the audience. The Advance Team played a crucial role in simplifying my tasks.

The White House Press Office was also pivotal. They would brief me on the significance of a meeting or event, enabling me to grasp the context better and understand the importance of certain moments.

Is there a specific image or moment that most encapsulates your vision, or that you are most proud of? Among the millions of images taken during an administration, is there one that meets your measure of success in securing the history of that moment, whether it be significant or minor?

DV: I previously mentioned the photo of President Bush and Barbara Bush in bed with some of their grandchildren, which I consider to be my favorite. Another photo that stands out to me is what I refer to as the bomber jacket photo, taken on his back porch in Kennebunkport, Maine. I believe that image captures the President’s strength and leadership qualities. Additionally, I took a photo of the President driving his boat, Fidelity. This image was featured on the cover of Newsweek, portraying him as a strong and capable leader of the free world.

Behind the Lens: Curatorial Insights with Crista Dix

Why is a show like this so critical at this moment in time?

It was important to me in this election year to remember what is at stake here in our country. Remembering who we are as a country and that our diversity is our strength is vital to our success as a democracy. In the Room Where it Happened is a look at power and perception. As the most visible person in the world for our democratic state, the President of the United States is a visual reminder of all that America represents. What was important to me in curating this exhibition is how each of these photographers balanced their unique vision, the shared vision of their principal and creating a lasting document for history, all in a split second. Their vision shapes ours, their view of history is our view of history.

What ideas do you hope the show sparks in people’s minds?

This cohort of photographers has all had a ringside seat to our history, our shared experience. What was important for me was to celebrate the visions of these historians and documentarians behind the camera. What I hope for people to see is to be reminded of our shared history, to remember the peaceful transfer of power, of how working together we can solve problems. This exhibition also shows in a subtle way the expectation of how we see our president, how through time our expectation of that vision has changed, evolved and become more human. These photographers use their creative vision to stop time.

Where did the idea of the exhibition come from?

It started with a conversation of one of our board members, Lou Jones. It was meant to be a smaller scale exhibition, and I took it further than planned. As an armchair historian, I couldn’t wait to have these photographers write their own history. Always the silent partner in the room, I was looking forward to seeing them speak with their vision. My conversations with each photographer taught me more about history, theirs and ours, about the craft of photography and about their vision, and I hope that comes through as people walk the exhibition and see all the details captured in each frame.

Crista Dix (She/Her/Hers) is the Executive Director at the Griffin Museum of Photography, assuming that role in January of 2022 after two years as the Associate Director.

Before coming to the Griffin Museum in 2020 she spent fifteen years operating her own photography gallery, wall space creative, closing it in 2020 to make the move to New England and the Griffin. Having a career spanning many paths she has a background rooted in science, business and creative art. This well rounded experience provides a solid background for supporting the Griffin’s mission to encourage a broader understanding and appreciation of the visual, emotional and social impact of photographic art.

Her gallery, wall space, supported emerging and mid-career artists with exhibitions, talks, events and art fairs around the country. As an internationally known gallery, Crista worked with clients all over the world and represented national and international artists. In addition to wall space’s special event and exhibition schedule, it hosted a series of artist lectures, studio and community events.

Ms. Dix, wall space and the artists who were part of its success believed in giving back, creating a charitable giving program called Life Support. In ten years Life Support worked with over 400 artists, donating over $80,000 to charitable foundations Doctors Without Borders, Direct Relief and Habitat for Humanity.

Ms. Dix has written essays about photography, introducing creative artists work to a broader community. She has been a member of numerous panels and discussions on the craft of photography, juried creative competitions and has participated in major portfolio reviews across the country in cities like Houston, Portland, Los Angeles, Santa Fe and New Orleans.