Barack Before Obama: Life Before the Presidency

Photographer Katz chronicles the career of Barack Obama from 2004 to 2008 in this remarkable photo collection. His pragmatic approach to photography (“Pictures come alive when your subjects are so comfortable with you that they do not even notice you,” he writes) is evidenced in photos of Obama casually strolling through Central Park or sharing a laugh with his wife and daughters. In documenting Obama’s activities on the campaign trail, Katz captures the energy of a small crowd behind a house in Southern Illinois and a gigantic rally held during a heavy rainstorm in Virginia. Stunning crowd shots and photos of the grassroots campaign make clear the sheer number of individuals who were inspired by Obama’s message. A poignant anecdote by speechwriter Jon Favreau recalls him working with Obama on a speech for the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech: “He choked up, went to the bathroom to compose himself. When he returned, he told us that it finally hit him that he was going to be the first African American nominee of the party.” This historic collection captures the transformation of Barack Obama from hopeful candidate to 44th president of the United States. (Dec.)