Reviving Empathy Through Images of Real Leadership | Photographer Pete Souza on Empathy, Dignity, Fatherhood

Modern Dadhood | Unpacking Fatherhood + Parenting for Dads (and Moms!)

Nov 10 2023 • 48 mins

There are certain qualities, like leadership, empathy, kindness, respect, and compassion, that we all aspire for our children to embody as they grow. In this episode, Adam and Marc get a bit deep with Pulitzer Prize winner and Official White House photographer for two presidential terms, Pete Souza, who had the remarkable opportunity to capture these qualities in iconic moments throughout the Obama presidency. The guys chat with Pete about dangerous situations, split-second decisions, and the tremendous responsibility of working in the highest office in the land, documenting the values we wish to see in our leaders and our children.

Episode 93 of Modern Dadhood opens with a conversation about storytelling and what features make for a strong spoken word story. The guys waste no time welcoming Pete Souza into the chat. Pete's credits an accolades include International Photography Hall of Fame Inductee, Pulitzer Prize winner, documentary film subject, and Chief Official White House Photographer for both terms of Barack Obama's presidency. He has taken some of the most iconic photos in history over his decades-long career, and while he still stays very busy putting out books, public speaking, and teaching photography workshops, his main photography subject matter... has become his grandkids.

Pete opens up about his method for capturing authentic moments with a leader who exemplifies traits that all parents hope to see in their children. Topics include:

•  Pete and his wife Patti's marriage and children
•  How Pete's "always on" work schedule impacted his personal life
•  The choice to work under physically dangerous circumstances
•  The shift from film to digital photography
•  The qualities that make a photo "authentic"
•  And more!

LINKS:
Pete Souza (official)
Pete Souza (Instagram)
Pete Souza (Twitter/X)
The Way I See It (Documentary on Amazon Prime Video)
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee
Caspar Babypants
Stuffed Animal

PETE'S BOOKS (please buy locally if you can!)

Obama: An Intimate Portrait
Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents
Dream Big Dreams Photographs from Barack Obama's Inspiring & Historic Presidency Young Readers
Rise Of Barack Obama
The West Wing and Beyond: What I Saw Inside the Presidency

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