Through the lens of the White House photographers

For the past three years, former Chicago Tribune photographer Pete Souza has served as chief White House photographer. It is Souza’s second tour as a White House photographer; he was also a member of the photography office’s staff during the Reagan presidency. He and his staff have mostly unfettered access to the Obama presidency, getting photographs that the Washington press corps cannot. Here are some of those images from May, June, July and August.

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July 12, 2012

President Obama blows a kiss to Oren Baer, son of Kenneth Baer, the departing associate director for communications and strategic planning at the Office of Management and Budget, during a visit to the Oval Office. Baer’s daughter, Avital, and wife, Caron Gremont, watch at left.

Lawrence Jackson / The White House

July 11, 2012

President Obama plays with Katia Wolfsthal, daughter of departing vice presidential adviser Jon Wolfsthal, in the Oval Office.

Chuck Kennedy / The White House

July 9, 2012

President Obama plays with Sarah Froman, daughter of Nancy Goodman and Mike Froman, deputy national security advisor for international economics, in the Oval Office.

Pete Souza / The White House

Aug. 1, 2012

President Obama makes an Air Force One phone call to members of the U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics team to congratulate them on their gold medal in the team competition.

Pete Souza / The White House

July 22, 2012

President Obama hugs Stephanie Davies, who tended to her friend, Allie Young, left, after she was shot in the July 20 movie theater rampage in Aurora, Colo.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 11, 2012

The South Portico of the White House is seen from Marine One as it approaches the South Lawn for landing.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 16, 2012

President Obama has lunch with, from left, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio), Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in the Oval Office’s private dining room.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 4, 2012

President Obama talks with former president Bill Clinton backstage at the New Amsterdam Theater in New York.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 25, 2012

Luz Graham-Urquilla, 4, watches President Obama as he signs her drawing in the Oval Office.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 4, 2012

Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner speaks during a meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office. Mike Froman, deputy national security adviser for international and economic affairs, and Lael Brainard, undersecretary of the Treasury for international affairs, are seated next to Geithner.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 20, 2012

Brian Mosteller, director of Oval Office operations, sits with Bo, the Obama family dog, in the outer Oval Office.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 19, 2012

President Obama plays a game of pool in the Holly Cabin following the conclusion of the Group of Eight Summit at Camp David, Md.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 28, 2012

President Obama walks through the Cross Hall of the White House before delivering a statement about the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 8, 2012

President Obama greets members of the New York Giants on the South Lawn during a ceremony honoring the team for their Super Bowl XLVI victory.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 13, 2012

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave good-bye to Israeli President Shimon Peres on the North Portico following the Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony and dinner in Peres’s honor.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 9, 2012

President Obama dances with first lady Michelle Obama in the Blue Room of the White House prior to an “In Performance at The White House” series concert honoring songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David. During the concert the president presented Bacharach and Eunice David, on behalf of her husband, with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 13, 2012

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama present a cake to assistant usher Reggie Dickson outside the usher’s office of the White House, following a Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony and dinner honoring Israeli President Shimon Peres.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 22, 2012

A boy salutes President Obama as he greets audience members following his remarks at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials conference in Orlando.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 28, 2012

President Obama is reflected in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as he delivers remarks during the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War commemoration ceremony in Washington.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 6, 2012

Trip director Marvin Nicholson watches as President Obama signs items after delivering remarks at an LGBT Leadership Council gala in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 20, 2012

President Obama throws a football on Soldier Field in Chicago.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 11, 2012

First lady Michelle Obama touches the Hokie Stone before walking onto the field at Lane Stadium to give the Virginia Tech commencement address in Blacksburg.

Lawrence Jackson / The White House

May 16, 2012

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greet the family of Army Spec. Leslie H. Sabo Jr. outside the Oval Office prior to a Medal of Honor ceremony honoring Sabo. From left, Kathleen Starkey, Sabo’s sister-in-law; Rose Sabo-Brown, his widow; and Frances Buccelli, his mother-in-law.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 19, 2012

British Prime Minister David Cameron raises his arms as he and President Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and others watch the overtime shootout of the Chelsea vs. Bayern Munich Champions League final in the Laurel Cabin conference room during the G-8 Summit at Camp David, Md.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 19, 2012

President Obama participates in a G-8 Summit working session focused on global and economic issues in the dining room of Laurel Cabin at Camp David, Md.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 18, 2012

Capricia Marshall, U.S. chief of protocol, waits with White House staff while President Obama participates in a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Esperanza Resort in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.

Pete Souza / The White House

May 10, 2012

President Obama, Nancy-Ann DeParle, deputy chief of staff, and Jay Carney, White House press secretary, look at Mount Rainier from Air Force One during a flight from Seattle to Los Angeles..

The Pete Souza / The White House

May 1, 2012

President Obama participates in a bilateral meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the presidential palace in Kabul.

Pete Souza / The White House

June 15, 2012

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama look out at the Chicago skyline.

Pete Souza / The White House

Featured Photo Galleries

Homeowner David Firth tries to beat back a brush fire heading towards his home at Bettas Road and Low Drive as wildfire burns Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 in Cle Elum, Wash. The fire jumped the line they were trying to make but still stands after being sprayed with water trucks and further efforts to beat it back with the help of several neighbors volunteering. (AP Photo/The Seattle Times, Bettina Hansen) SEATTLE OUT, USA TODAY OUT, MAGAZINES OUT, TELEVISION OUT, NO SALES . MANDATORY CREDIT TO: BETTINA HANSEN/THE SEATTLE TIMES.

Residents evacuate as wildfires rage through the West

This year’s wildfires are more numerous and have gotten bigger than last year’s, an official says.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 16: Protesters gather outside the Ecuadorian Embassy, where Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks is staying on August 16, 2012 in London, England. Mr Assange has been living inside Ecuador's London embassy since June 19, 2012 after requesting political asylum whilst facing extradition to Sweden to face allegations of sexual assault. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Julian Assange granted political asylum by Ecuador

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was granted asylum on Thursday by Ecuador, raising the possibility of a diplomatic showdown between British...

Chase Culp of Houston checks his clown makeup before the performance of Circus Smirkus on Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2012 in Montpelier, Vt. Circus Smirkus, based in Greensboro, Vt., is an award-winning international youth circus founded to promote the skills, culture and traditions of the traveling circus.(AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

India Independence Day, Syrian air strikes, Western wildfires, plastination and more in the day in photos

News and feature images from around the world.

Cast member Charisma Carpenter poses at the premiere of 'The Expendables 2' at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California August 15, 2012. The movie opens in the U.S. on August 17. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT)

Eye on entertainment

Charisma Carpenter, Chuck Norris, Lionel Richie, Joe Jonas, Nelly, Alice Cooper and other celebrities.

US President Barack Obama drinks a Guinness beer at The Dubliner pub on March 17, 2012 in Washington. Obama went to the bar to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Hoppy days are here again

President Obama is making clear his love for beer on the campaign trail as he attempts to ferment a coalition of the swilling.

Scanned from Post archive. Washington Senators baseball players Goose Goslin, Manush, Kukel. 9/21/1933. No other info. TWP Photo.

The last time Washington was this good . . .

The Nationals have had the best record in baseball in August, starting to erase memories hardened by decades of mediocrity. Here are clues to...

Montreal Washington, of Kansas City, pets the dog she adopted, Friday, Aug. 10, during 'Tackle Pet Homelessness' at the Kansas City animal shelter in Kansas City, Mo.. Washington plans on naming the pit bull, Alexandra. The shelter is at capacity and is offering a $25 adoption special for all dogs 25 pounds or more. For the month of August, all cats are 'name your own price' and kitten adoptions are $50. (AP Photo/The Kansas City Star, Allison Long)

Homeless and adopted dogs, sand kittens, snow leopards and more in animal views.

Amazing creatures from around the world.

LEWISBURG, WV - AUGUST 11: ( EDITORS NOTE: Image was created using the iPhone 4s with Snapseed's vintage filter) Two young boys sip a drink at the West Virginia State fair on August 11, 2012 in Lewisburg, West Virginia. People from across the region travel to the fair, which is celebrating its 88th year, and hosts various events including equestrian and livestock demonstrations along with a full compliment of carnival rides. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

iPhone snapshots at the West Virginia State Fair

An iPhone captures the fun at the West Virginia State Fair, in its 88th year. All images were created using the Snapseed photo-editing app&rsquo...

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