View allAll Photos Tagged BillClinton
As the age old saying goes, sometimes the best things in life happen when you're least expecting them.
On this evening, through a somewhat strange and serendipitous chain of events, I had the pleasure of photographing former President of the United States Bill Clinton alongside accomplished Canadian Press photographer Frank Gunn.
My day started off not much differently than most others - class in the morning then assignments in the afternoon. This week, Peter Bregg (my Photojournalism Prof) tasked us with an assignment that required we take an image of a silhouette and 4 "general news" photos. On a whim, I decided to walk over to Nathan Phillips Square in hopes of capturing the required photos. Working with the intense afternoon light, I was able to capture my silhouette shot. Easy.
Next, I was on the lookout for a possible news story. I wasn't expecting to find anything, but as luck would have it I stumbled across a CityTV crew. After introducing myself to the friendly crew, we got talking and I explained the assignment that I was working on. I asked Ginella, "Do you know if there's anything newsworthy happening downtown?". One sec, she responded. She pulled out her tablet and found a list of possible stories that were happening in the city. "Oh, Bill Clinton is in town at the Royal York! Access will be tight, but you might have a shot at that".
So off to the Royal York I went. Walking over, I almost certainly expected that I'd be returning home shortly after empty handed. But hey, if you don't ask you don't get right?
Upon arriving at the Royal York, I asked concierge if they were allowing media in. I told them that I was a student at Ryerson and doing a class assignment on a news story. Wait a moment they said, we'll see what we can do. Sure enough, 20 minutes later a manager escorted me up to a registration table. At the table another photographer waited patiently - his name is Frank Gunn. A few moments passed before Frank and I were given media passes and ushered to the hall where Bill Clinton was to give his speech. We were the only two media personnel present.
Frank and I got chatting and we quickly discovered that we share a mutual passion for photography and loving what we do. I have to admit, I quickly took a liking to Frank and I really enjoyed having a conversation with a seasoned professional. Frank has been a photographer with the Canadian Press for over 30 years!
Anyhow, as we got set up in our designated "Media Pit" the evening's events began. First, appetizers, then steak and finally the main course: a speech by Bill Clinton. The whole event was put on by St. Francis Xavier University, with the purpose of the night being an "in conversation with" type deal. Clinton gave a speech on leadership and then had a fireside chat with former Canadian Ambassador to Washington Frank McKenna. We snapped our photos, as photojournalists do, and that was it.
I know I have written somewhat of a novel here, and I don't expect that many will read it til' it's end, but I thought this story was worth sharing. Although none of this was planned, it goes to show that if you chase what you love doing then good things will eventually happen. I'd just like to say thanks to Frank for sharing his wisdom/expertise with me me during our brief encounter, and to the folks at the Royal York for allowing this budding photographer to have a very cool experience.
Inside the room is a tape recorder under a school desk with a looped tape. On the tape I recorded myself whispering "please forgive me...I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, please I'm asking you to forgive me, I'm sorry" On top of the school desk is a collection of military actions by the USA in the past year. On the wall are photographs of Bill Clinton shot off the TV while he was addressing the nation, admitting to having sexual relations with that woman.
taken by: Mon Mussiett
Meeting the President - Photo taken Dec. 1, 1999 in Washington DC at a DNC fundraising dinner made up of 40 prominent members of the gay and lesbian community and the President of the United States - this photo was autographed later by Mr. Clinton
My brother Steve with Bill Clinton. It's a real photo. Steve lives in Wisconsin where the 2016 primary election is close in both the Democratic and Republican contests. Bill Clinton was in the town Steve lives in, campaigning for Hillary.
I didn't take this photo, Steve sent it to me.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiIP_KDQmXs
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On a 1997/98 episode of WWE Raw, D-Generation X members Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Chyna made a memorable over-the-top skit parodying network concerns over WWE programming as well as references to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal. The 'speech' ends with Shawn Michaels declaring "..I did not, I repeat, I did not sleep with that young intern. As a matter of fact, I was up...all...night !"
I took this photo on Dec. 1, 1999 in Washington DC - A bright flash picture close-up right into the President’s face. Too close! It must have been blinding. I was excited and got carried away. I felt bad at the time but maybe celebrities get used to it. I hope. He didn’t seem angry with me at the time. —— Permission granted to copy, publish or post but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can
Meeting the President - Photo taken Dec. 1, 1999 in Washington DC - Permission granted to copy, publish or post but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can
Does anyone "need" lifesize cardboard standups of Bill and Hillary? Nope. Not mine. The San Jose Preservation Action Council is selling. To inquire (or to make an offer) - email donations@preservation.org
Creator(s): President (1993-2001 : Clinton). White House Photograph Office. (01/20/1993 - 01/20/2001)
Type(s) of Archival Materials: Photographs and other Graphic Materials
Contact(s): William J. Clinton Library (NLWJC), 1200 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock, AR, 72201. PHONE: 501-244-2877; FAX: 501-244-2881; EMAIL: clinton.library@nara.gov.
Production Date(s): 9/14/1993
Part Of: Series: Photographs Relating to the Clinton Administration, compiled 01/20/1993 - 01/20/2001
Persistent URL: research.archives.gov/description/3555656
Access Restriction(s):Unrestricted
Use Restriction(s):Unrestricted
In this large-scale portrait of Bill Clinton, two things stand out. The first is its size, given that the artist Chuck Close only shows Clinton’s head and shoulders. This means that his face alone is several feet high, making it about the same size as some of the full-length, life-size portraits in the “America’s Presidents” exhibition. Second, while the work is based on a photograph, it is far more abstract than a typical headshot. Similar to pixels on a screen, the painting is composed of hundreds of color-filled diamonds. As a result, this portrait of the forty-second president remains a puzzle-like abstraction, even though it alludes to a realistic photograph.
Let’s explore the mosaic-like composition. When we are near the portrait, Clinton’s likeness takes a back seat to Close’s technique. Close made a grid on both the original photograph and the canvas. He then used the grid as a guideline to enlarge the photograph, transferring and transforming the visual information from each segment to the canvas. Since diagonal lines form the grid instead of horizontals and verticals, the painting is made up of diamonds instead of squares. While each diamond is roughly two and a half by two and a half inches, some of them are joined together to form larger rectangles and L-shapes.
Close then filled these geometric fields with a series of loosely painted, multi-colored concentric circles, teardrops, or rectangles. They resemble nesting blocks of different colors and shapes. At the center of the composition, Close used unexpectedly bright hues to form the oval of Clinton’s face and hair. On the left side of the canvas, where the light hits the president’s face, the diamond tiles are filled with pale aqua, peach, and sage green. The mid-tones of his full cheeks and rounded chin are made up of tangerine, yellow ochre, olive green, eggplant, violet, and even crimson. Along his bulbous nose and underneath his chin, evergreen, eggplant, and burnt sienna represent darker shadows.
Within this warm palette, the blue of the irises of Clinton’s eyes stands out. Rings of turquoise, green, and aqua surround the black circles of his pupils. Each iris fills one of the diamonds. In this way, the eyes form the basic unit of composition and scale.
Now that we have examined the technique, let’s move back several feet. From our new vantage point, it becomes apparent that the variations in the grid suggest specific facial features. For example, there is a pale yellow and baby blue shape resembling a kidney bean about a third of the way up the center of the composition. From afar, it coalesces into the president’s sparkling white front teeth, which he reveals through parted, smiling lips.
Furthermore, colors that appear bright and bold up close seem more subdued at a distance. The background of peacock blue, evergreen, raspberry, and greenish gold becomes a dark blue-gray that complements Clinton’s warm tan complexion.
Even from the far end of the spacious gallery, which is several yards back, the painting does not read as a crisp image. Instead, it is almost as if we are viewing Clinton through textured glass.
(Source: National Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC - npg.si.edu/learn/access-programs/verbal-description-tours...)
Title: Photograph of President William J. Clinton Delivering the Weekly Radio Address in the Oval Office, 11/06/1993
Creator: President (1993-2001 : Clinton). White House Photograph Office. (01/20/1993 - 01/20/2001) (Most Recent)
Types of Archival Materials: Photographs and other Graphic Materials
Contacts: William J. Clinton Library (NLWJC), 1200 President Clinton Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201. Phone: 501-244-2877; Fax: 501-244-2881; Email: clinton.library@nara.gov
Production Dates: 11/06/1993
From: Series: Photographs Relating to the Clinton Administration, compiled 01/20/1993 - 01/20/2001
Collection WJC-WHPO: Photographs of the White House Photograph Office (Clinton Administration), 01/20/1993 - 01/20/2001
Persistent URL: research.archives.gov/description/5701025
Access Restriction(s): Unrestricted
Use Restriction(s): Unrestricted