Well, so much for always needing the latest and greatest gear. Even the president's official portrait was shot on a decade-old camera.
What you see below is President Trump's official portrait as it appears on the White House website:
The EXIF data has not been scrubbed from the file, and from it, we can readily see that the portrait was shot on a Canon 1Ds Mark III (a camera released in 2007!), using the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens, shot at 1/320 s, 145mm, f/2.8, ISO 640. I'll admit that this was certainly not the equipment nor the setting I expected to see in a presidential portrait. Trump's portrait appears to have been lit by a single light below him and to camera left.
For comparison, here's President Obama's second portrait, taken in 2012:
Pete Souza's 2012 portrait of President Obama appears to have been lit by two overhead octaboxes and was taken on a Canon 5D Mark III (released that same year), using the 85mm f/1.2L lens, shot at 1/125 s, f/7.1, ISO 200.
It's interesting to compare the two portraits, both from a perspective of what they convey and simply on the basis of the equipment they were shot on. What are your thoughts?
I wouldn't be surprised if his nephew or other family member shot it. Not because of nepotism obviously, but because they're really fantastic, the best photographer you've ever seen, absolutely beautiful work, a real bigly professional, they're going to be yuge in the industry, and believe me because I said it folks.
I wonder if the white balance is about his skin or about making sure the White House behind is cold for effect. This is by far the strongest effect the picture has on me. He looks like his usual aggressive persona.
Both the lighting and the pose are terrible. Where exactly is the photog having him look? And his posture AND his expression. The only justification I can think of for the high ISO is that he wanted a SS. Hand held I assume. Perhaps he/she was rushed and nervous. President Trump needs a redo.
Obamas' portrait is awlful as well. But he does look more friendly and also more incompetent.