Obama White House photographer with Dartmouth roots returns to New Bedford. Here's why.

NEW BEDFORD — While in seventh grade at Dartmouth Middle School, famed presidential photographer Pete Souza got a "D" in U.S. history − little did he know then that he'd have a career documenting history.

"I was not the best student in the world. Mostly just because I didn't really know what I wanted to do," Souza said. "It wasn't until I got to Boston University, when I took a photography class my junior year."

Now, Souza is a best-selling author having served as the former chief Official White House photographer for President Obama for all eight years, and an official White House photographer for PresidentReagan.

He will be presenting his work on Dec. 8, just down the road from where he grew up, at The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center.

His book, "Obama: An Intimate Portrait," published in 2017, debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list —one of the best-selling photography books of all time.

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"If I can have an impact on people's lives to show I have an interesting, professional life, then they're capable of doing that too, then that means so much to me," he said.

On Dec. 8, Souza will bring photos from his new book, “The West Wing and Beyond: What I Saw Inside the Presidency,” and the stories that go with them.

Having spent more time in the Oval Office than almost any person in history, Souza invites the audience into the inner sanctum of the American presidency, sharing rarely seen photographs and untold stories of life and work in the White House and traveling with Obama around the world, according to a press release.

"I'm giving my opinion and telling backstory, and giving insights into two presidents and the things that I saw inside the Presidential bubble," he said.

From Dartmouth to D.C.

Growing up in Dartmouth, the DHS '72 alum remembers spending summers working at his uncle's shop, Moby Dick's Marine Specialties on Williams Street in New Bedford. The building is now partly owned by the National Whaling Historic Park.

With a bachelor of science in public communication from Boston University and a master's degree in journalism and mass communication from Kansas State University, Souza said the rest of he career was based on good work ethic, persistence and luck.

"I've had so many lucky occurrences in my life, which is how I ended up in the White House," he said. "If you do get a lucky break, you've got to make the most of it. So that's what I've tried to do throughout my life professionally."

Souza started his career working at the Chanute Tribune and the Hutchinson News, a small newspapers in Kansas. He said he had interviewed with the photo director at the Kansas City Star, hoping to move up to that newspaper, but that photo director did not hire him (but did continue to track his career).

"She later became the White House photo editor during Reagan, and because of that, she called me and asked me to interview for a job at the White House," Souza said.

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In 2004, a political correspondent for CNN asked Souza to take photographs for a project documenting Obama's first year as U.S. senator.

"When you're given access that no other photographers are getting, you get to you get to know the person. So I had established professional relationship with him overtime," he said, adding that because of their partnership he was hired as chief White House photographer by Obama.

Souza said he is still friends with Obama to this day.

"I think he would consider me a friend. We keep in touch mostly via email or text," Souza added.

Starring in a documentary

In 2020, Souza was asked to be profiled in the documentary "The Way I See It," about his coverage of the Obama and Reagan presidencies and what he observed.

The movie reveals how Souza transforms from a respected photojournalist to a searing commentator on the issues we face as a country and a people. It was named Best Documentary by the New York Film Critics and was thewinner of the Critics’ Choice Award for Most Compelling Living Subject of a Documentary.

It was also nominated for an Emmy for Best Outstanding Documentary. The Zeiterion will be screening it for free on Nov. 8, through Cinema New Bedford.

"It's also a portrayal of not only how I documented the Obama presidency, but because of what happened in the 2020 election, and how I've observed both Republicans and Democrats in the office," he added.

His 2018 book, "Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents," also debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. "Shade" is a portrait in presidential contrasts, telling the tale of the Obama and Trump administrations through a series of visual juxtapositions.

"Let's put it this way: I never thought that I'd be the subject of a documentary film," he said. "The other side of the camera, someone who's tried to be a behind-the-scenes guy my entire life, to be out there in a more public way was, to be honest, a little bit unsettling.

"I felt compelled to speak out against what I thought was a denigration of the opposite of the presidency."

Stepping in front of the camera

Observing the final weeks in the White House with Obama, as Trump began to move in, Souza thought the administration disrespected the office. "I mean, I think the office of the presidency is about us, trying to do best thing for us," he said.

"This was a guy who everything was about him: Every decision, every appointment, every speech he ever gave was about himself."

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Souza also said that if COVID-19 happened under any other president, it would've been handled much differently. For example, he was there when Obama faced two potential pandemics with H1N1 and ebola.

"People don't really remember because it was handled so well," he said. "But, if you have a president that doesn't believe in science and facts, then you're probably not going to handle a pandemic very well."

Souza hopes the take away from his presentations, specifically at The Zeiterion on Dec. 8, will show the importance of having leaders at the top of the country that are decent beings.

"I hope that the audience come away with a sense that who who we vote for is is important, that actually does impact their lives," he said.

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter: @ChitwoodReports.Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: White House photographer Pete Souza to host show at The Zeiterion