White House 2011: The year in photos

Some of White House Photographer Pete Souza’s picks for best images of the year.

5 Seconds

00:00

Feb. 5, 2011

"The two coaches for Sasha Obama's basketball team couldn't make it to one of her games, so the president and his personal aide at the time, Reggie Love, filled in as coaches for this game one Saturday. Here they, along with Sasha's teammates, react during the game."

Pete Souza / The White House

June 7, 2011

"This photograph of the Rose Garden was taken from the roof above the Oval Office during a state dinner in honor of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband, Dr. Joachim Sauer."

Pete Souza / The White House

July 7, 2011

"The reflection in this photo (since so many people ask me) was taken with my camera just above a small glass-topped table in the Oval Office as the president talked with members of his staff following a meeting with the congressional leadership."

Pete Souza / The White House

June 9, 2011

"The President had attended the fourth grade closing ceremony for his daughter Sasha at her school in Bethesda. As he was departing, he noticed some preschool children peering out of a window at a child-care facility adjacent to Sasha's school, so he walked over to say hello to them."

Pete Souza / The White House

Sept. 21, 2011

"The first lady reacts to something the president whispered to her at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in between events related to the U.N. General Assembly in New York City."

Pete Souza / The White House

March 20, 2011

"Despite security concerns, the president decided to walk into the street to wave to people gathered outside the Cidade de Deus favela community center in Rio de Janeiro. As he was walking, a young boy reached out of a door and the president reached over to give him a fist bump."

Pete Souza / The White House

May 20, 2011

"The president talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel as they walk from the Oval Office to the South Lawn drive of the White House following their meetings."

Pete Souza / The White House

July 5, 2011

"The president shakes hands with a wounded warrior and the child of a wounded warrior who had crept up behind him in the East Room. The president and the vice president, seen in the background, often drop by when wounded warriors and their families are touring the White House."

Pete Souza / The White House

June 21, 2011

"Samantha Appleton, who has since left the White House, photographed the first lady as she met with former South African president Nelson Mandela at Mandela's home in Houghton, South Africa."

Samantha Appleton / The White House

May 1, 2011

"The president was ready to announce the news about the mission against Osama bin Laden and was putting the finishing touches on his statement in the outer Oval Office. As he did so, the networks broke in with bulletins confirming that bin Laden had been killed and a photograph of him appeared on the television screen in the background near the vice president (seated) and White House press secretary Jay Carney."

Pete Souza / The White House

May 1, 2011

"This is a composite of several images of the president and his national security team during a series of meetings in the Situation Room of the White House discussing the mission against Osama bin Laden on Sunday, May 1. We put this together so that in addition to the previous, now iconic image of this day, people might have a better sense of what it's like in presidential meetings of historic significance."

Pete Souza / The White House

Oct. 10, 2011

"The president walks into a hospital room at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, where he presented a wounded warrior with a Purple Heart."

Pete Souza / The White House

Sept. 11, 2011

"Chuck Kennedy captured this scene with a remote camera as the president and first lady, along with former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, paused at the north memorial pool of the National September 11 Memorial in New York City. The north memorial pool sits in the footprint of the North Tower, formerly 1 World Trade Center."

Chuck Kennedy / The White House

Dec. 14, 2011

"During one of the Christmas holiday receptions at the White House, I noticed the first lady's hands resting on the podium as the president made brief remarks."

Pete Souza / The White House

Dec. 15, 2011

"Interrupting a Christmas holiday photo line, the president confers with Rob Nabors, assistant to the president for legislative affairs, about the latest developments in the payroll tax cut extension as the first lady waits in the background."

Pete Souza / The White House

Oct. 14, 2011

"The Obama family made an unannounced visit to tour the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial in Washington the night before the president made remarks at the official dedication of the memorial."

Pete Souza / The White House

June 11, 2011

"The top photograph shows the president having a water gun fight with his daughter Sasha on her birthday weekend at Camp David. Unbeknownst to me, David Lienemann captured a similar photo of the vice president on the very same day."

Dec. 21, 2011

"The president and Bo, the Obama family dog, ride in the presidential motorcade en route to PetSmart in Alexandria. The president bought Bo some Christmas gifts at the pet store, then walked to the nearby Best Buy to purchase gifts for his daughters."

Pete Souza / The White House

May 23, 2011

"This was one of the great trips of the year, albeit brief, when we visited Ireland in May. This rope line in Moneygall was particularly fun as people reacted so jubilantly to the president and first lady. It was somewhat unusual, though, in that the sun kept coming in and out, and at times it was even pouring rain."

Pete Souza / The White House

Nov. 1, 2011

"Usually the best moments at meetings are before and after the participants actually sit down. In this case, though, there was an interesting juxtaposition of gestures as the president and vice president met with the House Democratic leadership in the Oval Office."

Pete Souza / The White House

Oct. 11, 2011

"This photograph by Chuck Kennedy has to catch your eye. It shows Guinness Book of World Records winner John Cassidy performing a balloon act for first lady Michelle Obama in the Diplomatic Reception Room following a Let's Move event."

Chuck Kennedy / The White House

July 15, 2011

"One of the most poignant days of the year was when Ruby Bridges visited the White House. Ruby is the girl portrayed in Norman Rockwell's famous painting "The Problem We All Live With," which depicts Ruby as she is escorted to school on the court-ordered first day of integrated schools in New Orleans in 1960. When the Norman Rockwell Museum loaned the painting to the White House for a short period of time, the president invited Ruby to view the painting while it was on display outside the Oval Office."

Pete Souza / The White House

Oct. 25, 2011

"Even backstage, Jay Leno is a hoot. Here he tells the punch line to a funny story as the president waits to tape 'the Tonight Show' in Burbank, Calif."

Pete Souza / The White House

March 20, 2011

"The Obama family was scheduled to tour the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio before dinner one night. But when heavy fog rolled in, they canceled the visit. After dinner, the fog had dissipated somewhat, so they decided to make the drive up the mountain. It was quite clear when they arrived, and then the fog started to roll back in. I managed to capture this silhouette as they viewed the statue one last time just before departure."

Pete Souza / The White House

Jan. 8, 2011

"A terrible tragedy occurred on a Saturday in January when a gunman shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others in Tucson. A few days later, the president spoke at a memorial service for the six victims who died and those wounded. Here he greets Mavy Stoddard, whose husband, Dorwan, died while protecting her during the shooting."

Pete Souza / The White House

Oct. 17, 2011

"A group of high school cheerleaders listen in rapt attention as the President delivers remarks on the American Jobs Act at West Wilkes High School in Millers Creek, N.C."

Pete Souza / The White House

Nov. 11, 2011

"Lawrence Jackson captured this superb overall view of the tip-off of the Carrier Classic, the NCAA men's basketball game between the University of North Carolina and Michigan State University on board the USS Carl Vinson, docked at North Island Naval Station in San Diego."

Lawrence Jackson / The White House

Sept. 14, 2011

"The president offers a toast to Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer on the patio outside of the Oval Office. Before receiving the medal, Meyer said he wished he could have a beer with the president; the president granted his wish and the next day awarded him the medal during a ceremony at the White House."

Pete Souza / The White House

April 6, 2011

"Following the late-night meeting on the budget, the president pulled House Speaker John Boehner into the Oval Office for a private talk. This was an unusual angle, shot from the private dining room looking back through the hallway with the Oval Office in the background."

Pete Souza / The White House

Nov. 24, 2011

"I photograph a lot of presidential phone calls from the Oval Office. But rarely is the light like this, backlit and reflecting back from a briefing paper. On Thanksgiving Day, the president made phone calls to 10 U.S. military service members — two each from the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy — to thank them for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan and wish them a happy Thanksgiving."

Pete Souza / The White House

Featured Photo Galleries

A masquerader from the Fantasy carnival band dances on stage on the final day of the carnival at Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain February 21, 2012. Picture taken February 21. REUTERS/Andrea De Silva (TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - Tags: SOCIETY)

Carnival, Nationals spring training, Australian foreign minister resigns and more in the day in photos

News and feature images from around the world.

Feb. 15, 2012: French bulldog Baby attends the feeding of wild boar piglets at the Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin, Germany. Six little pigs have found a new friend in a maternal French bulldog named Baby. The Lehnitz animal sanctuary outside Berlin says Baby took straight to the wild boar piglets when they were brought in Saturday, three days old and shivering from cold. Sanctuary worker Norbert Damm said Wednesday as soon as the furry striped piglets were brought in, Baby ran over and started snuggling them and keeping them warm, even though they're already about her size. He says the piglets' mother was likely killed by a hunter and the litter was found abandoned in a forest. The piglets are being bottlefed right now and should be released to an animal sanctuary when they can feed themselves in about three months.

Animal views

A French bulldog adopts wild boar piglets, a fingernail-size chameleon, frill-necked lizards and more.

Barbadian singer Rihanna accepts the International Female Solo Artist award at the BRIT Awards 2012 in London on February 21, 2012. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Adele, Joan Collins, Raquel Welch, Rooney Mara and other celebrities.

This undated image released by Julien's Auctions shows a pair of pearl drop earrings worn by Whitney Houston in the movie The Bodyguard,Warner Bros., 1992.Â This item is part of âHollywood Legendsâ auction scheduled to run on Saturday March 31, 2012 through Sunday April 1st at the Julienâs Auctions gallery in Beverly Hills.Â (AP Photo/Julien's Auctions)

Whitney Houston items up for auction

Items that belonged to or were used by the late pop icon will be sold by Julien’s Auctions in March. Here is a look at those items, plus other celebrity items auctioned by Julien&rsquo...

A reveler with the Mystic Stripers tosses trinkets to the crowds gathered on Royal Street in Mobile, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. The pre-Lenten blowout continues along the Gulf Coast culminating in Fat Tuesday celebrations Feb. 21. Tourism leaders estimate more than a million visitors pour into the Mobile area each Mardi Gras season to watch the festivities. (AP Photo/Mobile Register, G.M. Andrews) MAGS OUT; NO SALES

Mardi Gras around the globe

Revelers around the world celebrate Fat Tuesday, the day before the fasting season of Lent begins.

Kennedy Space Center at 50

The Kennedy Space Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and the 50th anniversary of John Glenn’s orbital flight.

ATTENTION EDITORS - IMAGE 4 OF 25 FOR PICTURE PACKAGE 'MONGOLIA'S OLYMPIC GYM ' Mongolia's Olympic freestyle 60kg wrestler Mandakhnaran Ganzorig limbers with a partner at a wrestling gym in Ulan Bator, October 27, 2012. While the elite of the sporting world tune up for the London Olympics in world class facilities, other gold medal hopefuls are forced to make do with less salubrious surroundings. In Mongolia, Asian champion Ganzorig trains alongside children playing basketball in an old, tired gym with paint peeling from the walls. Children play on ancient free weight machines, climb ropes and roll around on the floor mimicking their wrestling hero as he warms up for his training session in the corner. Picture taken October 27, 2012 REUTERS/Kieran Doherty (MONGOLIA - Tags: SPORT OLYMPICS)

Olympic dreams, shabby surroundings

While the elite of the sporting world tune up for the London Olympics in world-class facilities, other gold medal hopefuls are forced to make do with less. In Mongolia, Asian champion...

FILE - In this Oct. 13, 2011 file photo, Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, speaks in Redmond, Wash. To hear some Republican presidential candidates tell it, the president’s pen is a magic wand that can make Obamacare vanish in one day and sweep in cheaper health care, economic growth and lots of jobs in businesses freed from the health care law’s heavy hand. But there is no such fairy dust in Washington. Across the board, the contenders pledge to repeal the overhaul. In doing so, some are more realistic than others about what they can achieve and how fast. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

10 richest U.S. presidents

If Mitt Romney wins the election, it will him the second-wealthiest president in our nation’s history. Here’s a list of the richest presidents, ranked by 24/7 Wall Street...

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment
Read about the changes to comment thread appearance, moderation.

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.

White House 2011: The year in photos

Some of White House Photographer Pete Souza’s picks for best images of the year.

Featured Photo Galleries

Partners