Tweet
That’s it, the party’s over, turn out the lights. There is enough in this, the official White House photo of soon-to-be President Barack Obama, to tell you that all the hope you were hoping for is hopeless.
First off, note the center-right framing!
. . . and what’s with all that head-room?
Second, the contrast ratio: F-L-A-T. In other words: Bo-o-o-o-r-ri-i-i-ing! Look, I know you don’t want the first noir president to look all film noir, but really, couldn’t we spice this up a little? Lower the fill a bit? Give him a kicker maybe? Throw up a cookie on the background? At least break it up with a flag or finger?
Third, that tie! It looks like swag from an American Legion convention. Go back to that iridescent pale blue number you love so much—yeah, it’s a little Wedding/Bar Mitzvah guest-ie, but it was understated, classy even. Or, better yet, you’re young, you’re skinny, how about a tie to match?
. . . and that knot! I know PEBO can tie a better knot—if there is one thing I will take away from the 2008 election cycle, it is that Barack Obama knows how to tie a great half-windsor. . . but this, this is like Michelle tied it around her neck, then loosened it, then slipped it over Barack’s head and retightened it, all while checking her Blackberry. Sloppy, sloppy work.
. . . and, I’m not a big fan of seeing collar over the knot—especially when you have a stylist on hand. Uh, you did have a stylist on hand, right?
And, finally, not least of all, that fucking flag pin!!! Barack, baby, you are president now—you don’t have to sacrifice fashion for votes anymore! Ditch the lapel lesion. It doesn’t do anything for me—fashion-wise or politics-wise.
. . . and, guess what? It ain’t fooling the wingnuts, either. Laura Bush’s former press secretary (now LA times “blogger”) Andrew Malcolm is already giving you shit about it. Guys who care that much about a flag pin? These guys don’t like you! Never have, never will.
All of the above should obviously be taken to heart—trust me on this—but if you learn nothing else from this post, note the last point. This should be a lesson for ya’—and not just when it comes to your choice of cheap jewelry.
23 Comments
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About Firedoglake
What a stupid post and frankly who cares? Go get a real job.
Thank you so much. Our New Prez will have enough on his mind without this senseless garbage. So glad you said it first; and who cares what the nut brigade says about the pin. Give us a break.
You are right… almost any pro photog (I am one) would have handled this a lot differently… A Plain Vanilla Portrait for An Exceptional President…
David Hyme Kennerley, where are you now that we need you? http://www.kennerly.com
OOOPs, meant Hume… yesturday I cud not spel editur, now I are one
Is this the portrait that will hang in every US Govt. office in the world?
69 hrs & 56 min
Looks like we have a “tie” here…
It is a good view of Obama’s face and with faces you usually want the contrasts to be muted. It is the composition that is clunky. They wanted to get Obama and the flag in the same frame but the result is unbalanced. The head room you point out is the result of trying to include the flag. The image of the flag is muddled by a second flag that looks almost like a bad shadow. Obama’s face is mostly straight on but his body is turned and this creates yet another asymmetry with his shoulders. Because the body is twisted this makes the tie look off too. As for the broad planes of color, the background, the suit, these certainly reduce any dramatic effect of the ensemble. A bookcase or even a curtain would have been better to break up the visual field.
Another element of a good portrait is to include either one or both hands in it. Our faces and our hands are the two most human features we key in on. It is surprising though how often this aspect is forgotten.
All in all this is the kind of posed picture that you would expect your uncle Al to have taken.
So that’s what’s wrong with it? I did think it was blah but couldn’t think why.
But he’s not blah.;) I’m so excited. Finally, a smart person for president!
A better picture
http://binside.typepad.com/bin…..fin-h.html
69 hrs & 50 min
One of his very best features is his smile. Would that be OK in a PO pic?
Phoenix Woman upstairs “Deficit Games: A Tale of Two Governors”
I would think so. In a portrait or really any other shot of a person, you are going for the essence of the person, what really expresses who they are. Introducing a lot of formal elements usually produces a generic representation of who they aren’t.
Does a view of the whole portrait change anything?
All photographers have their own style, and it very subjective. I think it’s a good shot. The lighting compliments the tone of Obama’s skin, and the color of the tie seems to be of the chroma of the over palette of the photo, including the tone of Obama’s skin.
I also like the little of bit of space left in the bottom left hand corner, it adds some depth, and allows Obama pop off the background.
That’s what I see in my design aesthetic.
That looks like they brightened it up by washing it out.
I dunno, photography’s not my forte, but I’m thinking the one above is a darker copy of the official portrait. I’ve looked at it posted at Huffington, NY Daily News and a couple others and each has the cropped, darker version. Cropped as a newspaper would for space. It would be interesting to know Sousa’s take on it.
Your sentiments match those of my Latest FaBlog: Those Who Don’t Love Me Can Take the Train Too
It is a bad picture, half of a shoulder, lighting on his left is not sufficient, looks like a bad high school year book picture.
Even if I am a photographer, I really don’t care. As long as the president delivers a better government, image is nothing(except if you are a repug).
What a waste of pixels. Thanks for nothing.
Even a bad photograph of Barack Obama look better than the Bush family in Vogue!
My first reaction was a positive response to the look in his eye. Full of love and wisdom and hope.
What a stupid reason to give up on the future of this country.
Ceci n’est pas un pipe.
Pipe in french is féminin.
I don’t get what you mean.
Pipe is either a smoker’s item, or the french use it as a slang term that means fellatio…
Maybe you’re making an allusion to a pipe dream?
I just don’t get it.