PHOTO: Official Obama family portrait by Annie Leibovitz

[alsame]

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters, Sasha and Malia, sit for a family portrait in the Green Room of the White House, Sept. 1, 2009. (Official White House Photo)

Photo by Annie Leibovitz/Released by White House Photo Office

[peacebird]

1. Lovely photo!

[AndyA]

2. So nice to be able to look at the First Family and not get ill.

The Bushes, with asshole sitting there in his $40,000 cowboy boots and Laura in her poorly-fitting Lerner Shops polyester formal slack set, just made me want to throw up.

Thank goodness they are gone, and once again there's hope, even if it's only a small sliver. He still has 3 years to make good on his promises. I know he knows we're keeping track.

What a nice looking family!

[RubyDuby in GA]

4. Although, I can't wait to see President Obama with his cowboy boots on

That jerk who makes them does a pair for every president, so I'm looking forward to the photo op when our president finally gets his.

[tanyev]

13. He'll make them look good.

:)

[Hekate]

56. Oh god, I just flashed on Cleavon Little in Blazing Saddles

:blush: :rofl:

[mzmolly]

58. LOL

Yes indeed. :D

[Maccagirl]

3. Wonderful photo

of good people.

[City Lights]

5. Beautiful family! Beautiful photo!

:thumbsup:

[Cha]

34. +1

I love it..I didn't anything was wrong until I started reading the threads and it doesn't change my mind.

It's so them and very unique.

:hi:City Lights:D

[City Lights]

36. Doesn't change my mind either, Cha.

I love it.

:hi: Good to see you, Cha. :fistbump:

[rosesaylavee]

6. Beautiful!

I love Leibovitz' work...

[DontTreadOnMe]

7. This is not meant to insult the 1st family...

but as a photographer myself, this is a horrible photo, I expected much more from Leibovitz.

The pose looks a little awkward to me. The light is very flat, Michelle's black top is all shadow and no detail...
the angle of the photograph in relationship to the background, just looks distracting.

This looks like a snapshot... not something like a official WH formal portrait.

I would think this family would have been easier for Leibovitz to come up with something stunning. This doesn't do it for me.

[Kind of Blue]

14. Well, Annie's been having financial problems lately.

Maybe she's got too much on her mind and this was a quick gig to help pay off the $24million she owes :shrug:

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

18. I think they individually each look great but

I don't like the olive background at all on the walls and carpet, kind of takes the zip out of the entire picture. I also think Malia draping herself over Michelle is cute but a little much for an official portrait.

[madmom]

20. I'm an amateur photographer who just plays at it, but the picture didn't

grab me either the subjects look great but the composition looks hurried, just not right. I don't like it as an official portrait.

[yourguide]

25. I have to agree with this...

Leibovitz didn't do this beautiful family justice.

I've never thought Annie's work was anything special though and I hear she's a terror to work with so here's hoping they pick an up and coming photog to do the next portrait.

[busybl]

51. the president's face looks weird. Like he has a mustache

[grace0418]

26. Agree. The first family is GORGEOUS and would look good in a photo taken on a camera phone.

But the photo itself is not the best. I'm not a photographer but I am a graphic designer and I know good composition when I see it. I do think the vignette of Michelle and Malia is lovely (the issue with Michelle's top not withstanding). But I don't like the overall composition much at all.

[sandnsea]

27. Change your monitor output for the lighting

And I think it's supposed to look like a snapshot, an understated, casual elegance.

[mindfulNJ]

28. as a pro photographer myself

and a fan of Leibovitz, I agree with you. Disappointing.

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

30. glad I'm not the only one who thought it could have been better

:-/

[Hutzpa]

31. I'm afraid I'll have to agree

looking at that photo you get the feeling of emptiness or something....don't know
what it is...hhhhhh...mmmm......just not doing it for me either.

Maybe it's the feeling of desperation from Leibovitz.

[busybl]

49. I don't think it's very good either.

What's that shiny thing? Light is bad. The family looks amazing as always.

[HamdenRice]

8. I'm glad Annie didn't give them the "royal" treatment

She has a way of making subjects look like some sort of royalty, but this is a very naturalistic presentation.

I'm also glad Annie is working. She's incredibly brave and strong to be able to soldier on considering her financial meltdown.

[alsame]

11. I love how they are all touching each other and they are all

connected. It's very natural, not a stiff and formal pose.

[livetohike]

12. It's a beautiful picture but looking at the body language.....

our Pres. has his hands clasped. He is not touching anyone and that seems odd to me.

[Schema Thing]

16. Like the WH would give her the time to do her Vanity Fair schtick.

[inna]

46. why in the world is she having a financial meltdown?

she's one of the most known photographers in the world, for god's sakes.

[rvablue]

53. Seems crazy, but 'tis true and quite sad:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aSfrru7fTdrM

She's had to put of the rights to all of her photographs as collateral for a huge multi-million dollar loan.

[busybl]

55. sorry, no sympathy for Annie

That was a pit she dug for herself.

[mopinko]

9. if only they had let sasha wear her dreads.

beautiful, tho, they are.

[asjr]

10. A family of which we can be proud! Malia

will become a beauty.

[Kind of Blue]

15. They look sooo good. Thanks. n/t

[voteearlyvoteoften]

17. Barack looks so proud and happy

It brought a little bitty tear to my eye.
I love genuine smiles and they all have them.

[Clio the Leo]

19. lol, and busy!

.... he looks like he'd just told Annie, "Look, I got time for ONE shot, so make it count!" :)

[rvablue]

21. Adorable! n/t

[vaberella]

22. This is seriously the best looking Presidential family...EVER!! n/t

[firedupdem]

38. +1 n/t

[firedupdem]

23. Beautiful Family, Beautiful Portrait. n/t

[Capt. America]

24. Why arent they wearing their Maoist proletariat suits?

[dmr]

29. The family is beautiful, but this is a disappointing official portrait

It looks like something I might put together in a hurry.

Who would pose a family for an official portrait with such a busy background of two open doorways, heavy woodwork and unflattering green walls?

While I like this photo, it just doesn't give that Presidential oomph that one would come to expect in such a photo.

Could this just be photo taken while taking the 'Official' portrait? Could this just be an extra photo?

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

32. Annie can do great work but she can do work thats not that great

imo this is the latter.

[alsame]

33. White House website has it posted as the Family Portrait. I suspect

this particular shot was one of many and was chosen because they liked it.

[politicasista]

35. Nice, though...

don't like being trivial, but I love Malia's hair and Michelle's dress in this pic. Though the wall color looks kinda distracting.

Still nice nonetheless.

[JitterbugPerfume]

37. more proof

that Annie Leibovitz is the best , and the first family is beautiful.

[Mass]

39. By comparison with previous ones, it is a great picture

http://news.aol.com/article/official-white-house-obama-family/733531

[amandabeech]

50. I thought that the Carters and the Fords looked good, too.

I liked the composition of the Carter's photo and the outside backdrop on the Ford's.

The Kennedys were a handsome family and the photo didn't do them justice.

[HopeOverFear]

40. I wish it were bigger

[alsame]

42. Here you go - it wasn't available early this morning when I posted the OP.

[HopeOverFear]

43. Thanks!

[Honeycombe8]

41. What makes a great picture great...and not just good?

I don't know. But I know it when I see it. And this is a great picture. I can't put my finger on exactly why. It just is.

The naturalness of the body postures? The naturalness of the expressions? The appropriateness of the frozen gestures, and that it shadows their feelings towards one another? The souls coming through the faces and the bodies? The color of the background....the outfits chosen to wear? The older girl sitting on the arm of Michelle's chair? Obama somewhat slouched?

I guess this is why Annie Lebovitz is a famous photographer. She does great ... not just good ...photos.

I hope this helps lift her out of bankruptcy.

[tabatha]

44. I like it a lot.

The only issue I have with it, is that it is just slightly unbalanced.

[FrenchieCat]

45. What I see are real people, and I appreciate that this picture depicts them as such.....

That is the beauty of this photo....
that it could the depiction of any normal
American family; not royalty, not an upper crust family,
and not the family of the leader of the free world,
but my family and your family.

The pic is natural and doesn't appear to have made the Obamas try hard
to convey a certain message beyond....here we are, happy and well adjusted.
We are America's first family by the grace of American voters.

[alsame]

47. I agree. And to me, it almost looks spontaneous. Like the girls just

got home from school and came into the room to say hi to Mom and Dad.

[saracat]

54. For once we agree Frenchiecat. This is a great picture and Annie has captured the essence of this

family. They are relaxed and real. Barack is calm and happy, Sasha has that glint of mischief is her eye, Michelle is proud of them, and Malia radiates gregariousness.They are lovely and 'real". Good job Ms. Lebowitz!

[RetroLounge]

48. That's a nice picture.

:applause:

RL

[saracat]

52. The family looks gorgeous. the girls are so pretty! They are

going to be knockout when they are growm. Obama is sure gonna have to fend off the masses of young men who will be persuing these girls!I love this picture. Everyone looks "relaxed" which is a hallmarkm of a good picture.

[Undercurrent]

57. Beautiful, dynamic family.

Flat, boring photo.