Donald Trump publishes photo book undercutting former White House Photographer
Apr 7, 2022
Alex Baker
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
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It’s pretty usual that at the end of a presidential term, the White House photographer will publish a book showcasing their work. What isn’t so usual, however, is when the former president beats the photographer to the post and publishes a book first, using the photographer’s images.
That’s unfortunately exactly what appears to have happened to former White House photographer Shealah Craighead. Donald Trump has already published his own photo book titled “Our Journey Together”, the majority of which contains images shot by Craighead. In response to this, Craighead has now scrapped plans to publish her own book.
So what went wrong between photographer and president? Craighead is an experienced photojournalist and has worked previously with well-known politicians and presidents, including being staff photographer for George W. Bush. She was apparently hired by Trump the night before his inauguration when the previous photographer pulled out. According to the NY Times, this in itself is fairly unusual as photographers normally spend time building trust and bonding with politicians that they work with.
When Craighead first planned to publish her book about the presidency it was reported that Trump requested a large cut of the advance payment in return for promotion and writing a foreword for the book. Later, however, Trump’s aides asked Craighead to put her own project on hold because they were publishing their own book. “Our Journey Together” uses an enormous number of her images but gives no photo credits to Craighead. She is barely mentioned in the blanket acknowledgements.
However distasteful this may be, what Trump did was not flouting copyright law in this case. Because the White House photographer is funded by taxpayers, their photographs are automatically considered public domain and are not protected by copyright. Craighead has declined to comment to any media outlet, telling the New York Times that she prefers to stay “apolitical” and to be “a neutral historical documentarian”.
What are your thoughts on this break in tradition?
[Via New York Times]
Alex Baker
Alex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe
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13 responses to “Donald Trump publishes photo book undercutting former White House Photographer”
While I sympathize with her, it couldn’t have been that big of a surprise as this was 100% in line with what everyone already knew about Trump & his past business dealings…
Your TDS is epic. Take some Ivermectin and get that Trump brain worm outta yer head NOW.
Not quite sure what you’re saying – but you clearly don’t understand what I’m saying….
Whhhatt?
She should publish a book of the most unflattering images of Trump she can find.
He used Rex Tillerson’s legislation to seize the tax returns of the poorest Americans who were in student loan default – some of them single mothers in poverty. He simultaneously cut $2 trillion in taxes to corporations and the rich. I see this similarly.
She agreed to work for a weasel and saw him in full glory for 4 years. How naive can you be to not expect him to pull a stunt like this. First he demands her advance payment then he undercuts her. How about if she publishes images that tell the truth of his childish and irresponsible behavior. She can probably fill multiple volumes with those.
Sorry I did not read the article but anything that talks about trump (lower case on purpose) that doesn’t talk about him spending the rest of his life as bubba’s wife in jail, I’m not interested. Next.
Although I understand the feelings expressed by other posters, I also applaud Ms. Craighead for taking the high road in this. She does beautiful work, though, and I hope she does eventually publish a record of her time documenting the last administration, with or without the former president’s endorsement. I’m certain she can offer new insights that no one else could and that certainly aren’t found in the self-congratulatory collection already published.
In today’s society, it doesn’t matter if it’s right or if it’s wrong, it’s who gets to it first. And unfortunately for the photographer, someone beat her to it. It’s sad but true.
Is this article about copyright usage, or is it about how much these people hate Trump? Question: Is there as much disappointment with our current president as compared to your hatred of our former one?
the Article is just how Trump again is nothing but about Trump, knowing very well that EVERY WH Photographer Publishes a book about their WH house work yet he went and underminded her and her work regardless of whether the photo’s are considered public domain…. just show what a DB he continues to be, and it still amazes me people still support his crp.
So, he published a book of Public Domain images, eh?
Who would pay for PD images?