Unfortunate Photo Ops

As a photographer, the idea of a dream photo shoot is captivating. What if I could shoot anywhere or anything I could imagine? A celebrity wedding? A sports photography gig at the Superbowl or the Masters? A supermodel shoot on a remote beach? So what would you do with a $328,000 budget, Air Force One, an iconic landmark, and an F-16? Chances are, even if you are a very mediocre photographer, you could do better than the truly awful image supposedly taken as a terribly controversial publicity photo. It is a poor photograph in every conceivable way—composition, saturation, and exposure, not to mention the bad shadow in the bottom right corner.

This past week, Louis Caldera, director of the White House Military Office, took responsibility for the blundered “photo op”, which took place on April 27, sending thousands of New Yorkers fleeing into the streets. Doubtless the fall guy for all of the other military brass and Obama administration wonks who had to also be knowledgeable of the mission, Caldera’s resignation was quickly accepted. And except for the likes of Jay Leno, who continues to use the incident as fodder for his jokes, the media has largely forgotten that it happened.It stands to reason that if the U.S. military and the Obama administration were to truly want a photo op of Air Force One and the Statue of Liberty, a professional photographer would have been involved. One glance and this terrible shot is suitable evidence that a pro had nothing to do with snapping this shot. Would the mission even be launched on such an obviously hazy day? And why use the cramped cockpit and solid bubble canopy of an F-16 as a photo platform? Air Force public affairs photographers do spectacular work. This photo is anything but spectacular.

But while the motivation for the Air Force One “photo op” is unclear, previous administrations and political candidates made critical errors in judgment. In 2003, President George W. Bush was at the controls of a Navy S-3B Viking as it landed on the deck of the U.S.S. Lincoln. The ship became the backdrop of Bush’s famous "Mission Accomplished" speech announcing the end of “major combat operations” in Iraq. It’s ironic that this photo op occurred on the Lincoln, named for an assassinated U.S. president, as the U.S. media did much the same to “W”.

Commenting on the Bush event, Sen. John Kerry, who was seeking the democratic nomination at the time said,"The president's going out to an aircraft carrier to give a speech far out at sea ... while countless numbers of Americans are frightened stiff about the economy at home." Oddly, neither Kerry or anyone else from the Democratic Party have seen fit to criticize a $328,000 photo op in the midst of a pronounced recession.

Most folks have probably forgotten the image of Michael Dukakis in the turret of a tank. Taken in 1988, the backfiring photo op of the presidential candidate in an Abrams M1 tank was very damaging to the Dukakis campaign and was ultimately used in future President George H. W. Bush’s campaign ads. Regardless of who you voted for, Dukakis just looks plain goofy in that helmet.

Back to New York in 2009, chances are, we will never know why the flight took place or who was on Air Force One while New Yorkers scrambled out of buildings below? And chances are, we will never see more images from this shoot or any other during Obama’s reign. But I’m sending my resume and portfolio to the White House, just in case there’s enough stimulus money left to fund my own photo op. Just imagine—me, my Nikon, an F-16, Air-Force One, and a supermodel. Hey, I said it was a dream photo op.