Photogs Slam White House Use of Staged Pictures

[kpete]

Photogs Slam White House Use of Staged Pictures



By Joe Strupp

Published: January 30, 2006 12:05 AM ET

NEW YORK-- White House photographers aren't looking for a handout these days. In fact, they've gotten far too many.

While the practice of providing news organizations with staged photos of events involving the president goes back decades, veteran shooters at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue say it has become almost a regular occurrence with the Bush Administration. A review of Associated Press archives found that during the entire eight years of the Clinton administration, only 100 handout photos of events were released to the press. During the first five years of Bush's presidency, more than 500 have been distributed.

The key is that each of these events were closed to news photographers.

"They average about two per week," said Susan Walsh, an AP photojournalist and president of the White House News Photographers Association, after directing that review. "The White House staff photographer's role is to document the president. They have now crossed the line and become public relations photographers for the administration."

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001920440

[lpbk2713]

1. The White House/BushCo choreographers

have a difficult time trying to make this asshole look anywhere near positive. It's hard work.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-10-13-bushvideo_x.htm

[pacalo]

2. Everything's fake in this administration.

It wouldn't surprise me if they started printing counterfeit money in the basement so they wouldn't have to go to all those fundraisers for hush money every other week.

[Stephanie]

3. I remember in the last Oval Office speech he posed for photos afterwards

He gave the speech for tv, then he gave parts of it again for the WH photographers, as was noted in the captions.