Lucidon Amanda - Chasing light (2017): Michelle Obama through the lens of a White House photographer

Michelle Obama, with dignity, grace, and respect, has taught and inspired all of us to chase what is good, right, and just. Through her lifes commitment and dedication, she is the embodiment of a powerful light.

Congressman John Lewis

Chasing Light is a remarkable and intimate behind-the-scenes look at one of the most influential icons of our time. Michelle Obama is dedicated, gracious, and humble. She has touched so many lives and continues to profoundly affect our world in the most genuine and positive ways. This book is an outstanding tribute to our beloved First Lady, and my friend, Michelle Obama.

Kerry Washington

As a member of the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, I had the pleasure of seeing firsthand the wonderful effects of Michelle Obamas work on behalf of underserved schoolchildren. Under her leadership, the classroom became an opportunity not just for learning, but also for innovation and creative expression.

Yo-Yo Ma

Michelle Obamas efforts redefined the role of First Lady and have left an imprint on the world like no other. As I turn through the pages of this beautiful book, I am reminded of the joy she shares with the world and the grace and humility she exudes. Her spirit and her legacy are captured in these photos.

Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution

Copyright 2017 by Amanda Lucidon.

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.

www.crownpublishing.com

www.tenspeed.com

Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.

All photographs are by Amanda Lucidon, with the exception of those appearing on , by Lawrence Jackson.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

Hardcover ISBN9780399581182

Ebook ISBN9780399581199

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ADDITIONAL PHOTO CAPTIONS:

: The First Lady waits in the Green Room before being announced during a Counselor of the Year event in the East Room of the White House, January 30, 2015.

: Mrs. Obama meets with staff aboard her plane, Bright Star, during the flight to Madison, Wisconsin, September 12, 2013.

: Mrs. Obama hugs a child during a Drink Up event on the South Lawn of the White House, July 22, 2014.

: Mrs. Obama waits in the Green Room before a White House Historical Association Arts Reception at the White House, June 5, 2013.

: Mrs. Obama shares a laugh with Sunny and Bo, the family pets, during a video taping in the Map Room of the White House, April 14, 2014.

: The First Lady takes a selfie with Kevin Vincent (center) and Jeremiah Hall (right), the creators of the Running Man Challenge, in the Cross Hall of the White House, June 21, 2016.

: Mrs. Obama gives the keynote speech at the Oberlin College commencement ceremony in Oberlin, Ohio, May 25, 2015.

: Mrs. Obama participates in a discussion with students at R.S. Caulfield Senior High School in Unification Town, Liberia, June 27, 2016.

: Mrs. Obama meets Amanda Lucidon, the new White House Photographer, in the Ground Floor Corridor of the White House, June 5, 2013. Photo by Chuck Kennedy.

For my mother, Janice, and my daughter, Eden, and to every mother encouraging her children to dream a bigger dream.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama share a moment on the North Portico as they await the arrival of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and Mrs. Agnese Landini for the State Dinner at the White House, October 18, 2016.

INTRODUCTION

January 20, 2009, is a day I will never forget.

I had just moved from California to Washington, DC, after taking a buyout from my job as a newspaper photographer. The industry was suffering, and the writing was on the wall. Rather than wait to be laid off, I took a leap of faith and relocated to an area that I believed would offer unlimited possibilities for a freelance photographer. But there was one thing I hadnt fully considered: DC was a very competitive market, and I had few connections on the East Coast. Working as a freelance photographer would prove to be a challenge.

As a photojournalist, I really wanted to cover the inauguration of President Barack Obama, since it was such an exciting time for our country. But for the first time in seven years, I wasnt affiliated with a newspaper, which meant I didnt have any press credentials. If I wanted to document the inauguration, Id have to wake up early and get on a bus like everyone else. Id have to brave the cold to hold a spot on the lawn among the masses.

So thats exactly what I did.

There was an energy and a kindness in the city that day, even as hundreds of thousands of people descended upon the National Mall. It was like nothing I had ever experienced. We were all tucked in tight without much space to move, but people were sharing snacks, hand warmers, and small talk with complete strangers. It was below 30F, but there was a warmth about that special day.

I thought back to the conversation Id had with my father the night before. We didnt typically talk about politics, but he brought it up because he was especially optimistic about the state of our country. He told me that Barack Obama reminded him of his own fathera kind man with a solid ethical core. And most important, he was a man of integrity. I felt the same way. Before moving to DC, I didnt spend much time following politics. But there was something different about Barack and Michelle Obama. They seemed grounded and optimistic. Their message was about hope rather than despair. Their authenticity inspired me. It was the first time in my life that I felt like I could truly relate to our President and First Lady.

The night of the inauguration, my father stayed up late watching coverage of all ten inaugural balls. While the rest of America was watching our new President and First Lady dance and celebrate, my father was scanning the background of each event, looking for me in the crowd. He thought I might be there taking pictures with the press. But I wasnt. Instead, I was at home, editing the images Id shot earlier that day from the crowds perspective. He didnt know how far I still had to go to make it as a photographer in this city.

My father died of a heart attack the next morning.

Four years later, I got an unexpected phone call. The Chief White House Photographer, Pete Souza, called to ask if Id be interested in applying for a job as an official White House photographer covering the First Lady. At first, I wondered if I was the right person for the job because I wasnt a seasoned political photographer. I had spent most of my career focusing on social issues, especially stories about equality. It took me a few days to connect the dots. But I got the position, along with the honor to document our nations first African American First Family.