Snorkeling With President Obama: How Our Photographer Got the Shot (Exclusive) | National Geographic

I’ve never photographed a president

I’ve never photographed a president before this was my first experience you

before this was my first experience you

before this was my first experience you know being sort of in the presence of

know being sort of in the presence of

know being sort of in the presence of Air Force one and all the security and

Air Force one and all the security and

Air Force one and all the security and Secret Service the day that the

Secret Service the day that the

Secret Service the day that the president arrived was a perfect se day

president arrived was a perfect se day

president arrived was a perfect se day sunny clear I didn’t expect or know that

sunny clear I didn’t expect or know that

sunny clear I didn’t expect or know that I would have one-on-one time with the

I would have one-on-one time with the

I would have one-on-one time with the president after I photographed the

president after I photographed the

president after I photographed the interviews somebody else from the White

interviews somebody else from the White

interviews somebody else from the White House came over and put their hand on my

House came over and put their hand on my

House came over and put their hand on my shoulder and said we’ve made room for

shoulder and said we’ve made room for

shoulder and said we’ve made room for you on the boat so I had I think they

you on the boat so I had I think they

you on the boat so I had I think they said six minutes to get my stuff

said six minutes to get my stuff

said six minutes to get my stuff together being underwater with President

together being underwater with President

together being underwater with President Obama was for me a a surreal experience

Obama was for me a a surreal experience

Obama was for me a a surreal experience I was very nervous but then I realized

I was very nervous but then I realized

I was very nervous but then I realized that all of my pictures were sort of

that all of my pictures were sort of

that all of my pictures were sort of just this side profile and it was lovely

just this side profile and it was lovely

just this side profile and it was lovely the corals were pretty and he was very

the corals were pretty and he was very

the corals were pretty and he was very sort of elegantly moving just below the

sort of elegantly moving just below the

sort of elegantly moving just below the surface but I wanted to see his face

surface but I wanted to see his face

surface but I wanted to see his face a year ago I had a cover story for

a year ago I had a cover story for

a year ago I had a cover story for National Geographic about dolphins in

National Geographic about dolphins in

National Geographic about dolphins in many ways photographing President Obama

many ways photographing President Obama

many ways photographing President Obama for me was was a similar experience you

for me was was a similar experience you

for me was was a similar experience you know the the subject was very different

know the the subject was very different

know the the subject was very different of course but I made a decision not to

of course but I made a decision not to

of course but I made a decision not to use flashes not to use strobes I sort of

use flashes not to use strobes I sort of

use flashes not to use strobes I sort of positioned myself in front of him as he

positioned myself in front of him as he

positioned myself in front of him as he was sort of swimming toward me and just

was sort of swimming toward me and just

was sort of swimming toward me and just made a series of images as he was

made a series of images as he was

made a series of images as he was swimming past those magic moments come

swimming past those magic moments come

swimming past those magic moments come down to just a handful of of times and

down to just a handful of of times and

down to just a handful of of times and then you know I was back on shore with

then you know I was back on shore with

then you know I was back on shore with my surface cameras watching him climb

my surface cameras watching him climb

my surface cameras watching him climb the stairs in Air Force One depart

the stairs in Air Force One depart

the stairs in Air Force One depart though it was all very quick and yet it

though it was all very quick and yet it

though it was all very quick and yet it took me a while to sort of process it

took me a while to sort of process it

took me a while to sort of process it and remind myself that it really was

and remind myself that it really was

and remind myself that it really was true that had happened

[Music]

[Music] Oh