On display and the journalism archives. I know we could talk a lot about your background and history as a reporter, i want to jump right into your photos of the president. Tell the story how you became the official White House Photographer, how you got the job. Ill give you the long story because its fascinating to me1y because i never really planned on being the White House Photographer. It was an opportunity to presented itself. Back when i was a Staff Photographer at the ap, most of my career was at the journalism newspaper wire Service Business i was assigned to cover the president ial campaign in 2000. I was assigned to cover governor bush, who was running for office. I was among many journalists traveling on the campaign trail for nearly 18 months. Q of the campaign that i realized i had a shot at the white house job. I was very happy and satisfied with my position at the ap. I blamed everything on the recount. You might know in 2000 there was a period no one knew which way the election would go. nrntr t h during that time i took a break, i went back to albuquerque, just recovering from the campaign. The more i inquired about the position the more i discovered i then i discovered i had an opportunity to ask president elect bush in person when i discovered i was invited texas, i said, well, thats where im going to make my personal pitch for the job. nrnr i walked up to president elect bush at the party. My wife was there coaching me on the side lines. nrnr i knew making a direct pitch would really help. The staff knew me and i looked him in the eye and i said, i want to be your pe photographer. I took a page out of his political playbook. He would always stay in the campaign trail i will lookiy job, i want to be your president. Thats what i did. That was the longest hand shake. He looked at me like he never thought about it. I appreciate it, ill get back to you. A week later, it happened quickly. I wasnr baczo in austin in andy cards office, chief of staff and he pretty much offered me the job on the spot. He said,g4mn you know, we know youre a good photographer. I traveled with the staff and they knew me and how i work. Iwnwa n you manage . The first thing i said was yes. What he really meant was, these words stuck with me in the interview working at the white house is like trying to get water through a fire hose. I discovered he was right and how much happened and how much i had to manage as being the personal photographer owùd to president and director of the White House Photoy the first thing i had to do was hire a staff to cover the work load. Inrnr spent all my time with th president shooting and documenting and trying not to miss a thing. What happens with the photos afterward was very important. A big part of my job was maintaining that archive. At the very beginning with a handful of rolls of film, eight years later nearly 4 million images in the i0 k entire datab the entire staff to photograph the Vice President , the first lady and almost every official event that happened in the complex. More thannrnr just the presiden archives as it stands. As of the 4 million, how many do you estimate are your own . Nearly a million pictures i made during those eight years. I know we could talk even more what that was like. I want to ask you about the specific images we have on display. Of course, you were with president bush on september 11th. Tell us how that day unfolded and in particular the picture that was taken at the elementary school, where president bush was on the phone. Yes. That day was just stands out to be the most amazing day of my time at the white house obviously. For me, this was nine months into the job. I was still learning a lot about traveling with the president. Im in the classroom and see the whisper that moment and obviously the expression on the president s face changed. I knew something was wrong, something was very wrong. I knew the president well enough at that stage, walking into the classroom behind the classroom is a hold room and thats where the president and his staff were there. There is a tv in that room. Immediately when we left the classroom, we walk in and seeing those images on the tv screen, live images of burning towers, i was stunned, like everyone else. I knew the day would be huge in terms of history, not knowing how big and how bad it would get, didnt even know at that stage it would be even more with the attacks in washington and all the planes involved. My immediate thought was to connect what was happening in new york with what the president was doing. The president walked into the room, and i was waiting to make that picture and stop and see the images on tv. He never stops. He walked and picked up a notepad and started writing down collecting information because he was immediately preparing for his first statement not only to the nation but to the world in response to the attacks. That image of that shows dan bartlett the Communications Director pointing to the tv, that was the first time we started seeing the replay of the second tower getting hit. The motion of the airplane hitting the tower and the explosion and that horrific scene thats burned in everyones memory, thats the first time the president saw it. Right after that moment when dan bartlett alerted everyone in the room, said, look, and everyone saw that. Everyone was stunned in silence because we had never seen it, just heard it happened. Thats when the president could connect what really happened. A second later the president turned to see that image for the first time. Its also striking in a way for me personally about the images we were all witnessing the events unfold, you were witnessing it at the same time as the president was. Thats true. Every one remembers being glued to the television and that horrific image of the towers burning and plume and smoke no one will ever forget. Youre right. That does make the personal connection what everyone was experiencing at the same time. Youre right. Good point. I know we could spend hours talking about that, talk us through. There are so many wonderful images you could have used. What was it like for you as a photographer to be with the president that day . For me, i didnt want to miss a thing. I dont think i really thought about what i was doing because when i would stop and think about it, it was hard to imagine what was happening. It was almost like a nightmare playing out in front of me. All i did was react not missing a moment. Thats what it was like for me. I tried not to get lost in thought because i had the same feeling everyone else had, the feeling of why and who and the tremendous sense of loss that was happening in new york city and the shock. I was as shocked as everybody else was. I didnt want to put my camera down, get the president s moods and emotions. Was there ever a point you were given that kind of access . That day i truly felt invisible, they were so intense and everyone focused on their jobs. I stood 2 feet from the president on air force one they told him, sir, you cannot return to washington, its not face. He looked around, he was so upset and frustrated he couldnt leave from washington, felt like he was looking through me and i was standing just it felt like inches away from him. I truly felt invisible that day because everyone was so focused on their jobs and so intense. Thats what that day was like. Another devastating time for the presidency of george w. Bush was Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath. And you have photos to represent that of president bush and a survivor. Can you talk about that image . This was three or four days after the hurricane. We were in louisiana and in mississippi that day. Were Walking Around seeing the damage. Theres a motorcade tour primarily the president would get out and meet with some of the Emergency Personnel. Then there was a part where there was still some of the people that lived there, because there werent a lot of people there because it still wasnt safe for people to go back. The president got out and did a walking tour of the area in biloxi. There are people standing with shells of their home, looked like a nuclear bomb went off, the destruction was so horrific. There was this gentleman standing in front of his home that was gone, just reduced to shreds of wood. The only thing left was the base of the cement stairs that led to his front door. That was the only thing standing. The president walked over to him and what really struck me was the fact that there are media there, down the street. The president sat down just, you know, to meet with this gentleman, to hear about his story. It wasnt done for the photos and wasnt done for the press, it was a real moment of comforting at that moment, this guy just lost his entire home and who knows what else in Hurricane Katrina. Its definitely an example of the graphically the loss at that moment, just a few days after the hurricane. And your photo tells a different story than the image in the helicopter. Can you speak to the difference . You mean the other Hurricane KatrinaPhoto Everyone talks about . The other one im referring to where he its not that he appears to be different, i think thats a conclusion some people make looking at that photo of the helicopter. Theyre two different situations. I wasnt on that trip because he left texas to fly back to washington and decided to do basically a flyover of the area because he didnt want to land and get all the Emergency Personnel and Police Involved because theyre recovering and still rescuing people at that stage. He didnt want to do a flyover but symbolically looked like a disconnect there and a few days later he had the opportunity to land on the ground and see it first hand and meet people and connect with the real people that were affected. Two different situations. Talk about it didnt actually happened, said something about regretting the helicopter. Its that image, unfortunately, it was definitely unfortunate with the timing of it. That probably shouldnt have been the first image to meet the president with in that disaster, looking out of the window. And another one we have, i think of, when i think of your work with the president is a great picture, talk about the importance of his time at the ranch and your access to his down time, if you will. I loved the ranch. The ranch was a great place to unwind and relax. You had 1600 acre ranch. You had sky and grass. The president , the first thing he wanted to do on the ranch is get outside and stay outside. Like driving his truck. He was very proud of his ranch and would give tours to visitors. I think when i made that picture, we had some friends in the truck and he was giving an of his ranch. It was a great place for him to unwind. He would also work, obviously, when youre the president youre always the president. When ever he would invite world leaders, that was a big deal and every world leader knew if you were invited to the president s ranch, that you were special because you really you had the opportunity to use his personal diplomacy where the world leader would learn about his life in texas. He was very very proud of his ranch. That picture definitely illustrates that texan in him. He loves his ranch. Another image that we selected, again, a lot of your images of president bush were so striking. This was of ramirez being awarded the purple heart while he was in a hospital bed. If you could remember from the back story on that . And what that picture tells us about the president . The president would go to both walter reed and bethesda hospitals to visit wounded warriors, visit with the families, and he would go to the icu if the families were there with their loved one. He would go to the area to meet with the soldiers in rehab, and at the same time to award purple hearts to the soldiers. The president would do it quite frequent and not bring any press along. I would be there as official photographer but families because the families would also want photos with the president. Definitely when ever the president would meet with the families, theres emotion because it got the troops in their situation, a lot of those, you can see the sacrifice, loss of limbs. The president was very compassionate with these soldiers, always wanted to look them in the eye and tell them, if they had questions for them and look them in the eye and tell them why the mission was so important and why he made the decision he made as commander in chief to send them into harms way. It was very important to him to confront and see these soldiers on a personal level. That moment was just a moment of compassion. The president awarded the purple heart and kissed them on the forehead. He was that way with so many meetings. That scene was repeated over and over again through the years. I think its probably one of the most underreported stories in terms of how many soldiers the president would meet behind the scenes to thank them for their service. Both at hospitals, when ever we would travel to a military facility the president would want to meet with families of the fallen warriors who were lost in the wars and he would want to meet with these families and soldiers and it was repeated numerous times through the years. It was very important to him. One of the reasons we do what we do, in terms of archiving these, im sure from your perspective, you archive at the White House Photo office, youre preserving evidence. If somebody were to look at your photos of president bush, what sort of evidence of his leadership or evidence of his character do you think they would find . Thats a good question. I dont know, i think everyone has their own connection to any president , in this case, president bush. I think when you meet him in person you have a different opinion of him, when you see moments you dont normally see into photos, like i had the opportunity to capture you get another perspective. Its in the eye of the beholder, what i tried to do if there is a Human Connection i could illustrate in the photo, i would capture it. The fact you had access you would see a completely different side you normally dont see. The human side, husband, father, dog owner, playing with his dogs, you see the human side. You dont see the official side, you dont see the commander in chief, you see someone just like us. Thats what i had an opportunity to witness is see the complete view of the president during really, you know, historical times. Youre one of a few White House Photographers that are here at the briscoe center. When you become a White House Photographer, do you join a club . Not until its over. Theres so much work involved in doing the job you dont get a chance to come up for air. Youre kind of in this bubble. Youll see your colleagues looking out the window over a motorcade or something. From my experience, there was so much work involved and so much focused on the job, until i got out, you know, you kind of realize im in really exclusive company an you realize how special the job was even more so. Its great to be in such a tightknit club because not a lot of photographers have done this. We did a talk with you and some of the other official White House Photographers and youve obviously been on the other side, being an ap reporter. What is the difference, if any, between what you were doing with the ap and special White House Photographer . Very different. As a journalist working for the media, youre there, youre on assignment, your focus is to illustrate whats presented in front of you, either an event or you do have access to behind the scenes moment, you record it and you put it out there. Its so limited. When youre an official photographer, its a whole other world, another universe. You have so much access and so many stories to see and to follow that its almost overwhelming at times because theres so much access. The focus is the president. At the same time, youre working for the president so its not like when youre with the Media Organization you represent that organization and but when youre working for the president , youre serving the president. Im bringing my background, my style, my the way i make pictures to this job being an official photographer. Its a mixed bag but so much more when youre an official photographer. When youre an official photographer for the white house for the president of the united states, youre representing the country so you have to be very diplomatic with your movements. You cant be i had to turn off a switch. In being a journalist youre a little more aggressive probably because youre always having doors closed in front of you. To get around in order to get your pictures. When youre the White House Photographer everything is open because everyone realizes your position and almost a dream come true, so much access, its great. Theyre really two different worlds and interesting to discover, as soon as day one of my job as the White House Photographer. So including the white house work and your career as a whole, what do you personally look of as your best image or most significant image. Do you have one . I dont have one image. I kind of see my images as a body of work because theres so much. Because i had the opportunity to witness and document a lot of history and that history is always unfolding, always changing with the times, perspective, even with years, its been nearly four years since i left. A lot of photos i didnt consider before are becoming more important, i know, like the decision to go to war was important back then but even more important now because the echos of that decision are still being felt. To me, its always fascinating to see the historic images rise and fall with time. And where they end up, no one knows really in terms of whats important now and just as important later or will other images be important. In terms of favorite pictures, its so hard, there are too many, too many. My favorite pictures are the pictures that explain and illustrate the president s personality, especially like the photos of the ranch that show him as a texan, kind of reveal the personal side. Those are the images that are my favorites. Talk a little bit about the image of you mentioned the decision to go to war. How did that unfold and what was the defining image you took of that, that day . For me, it was the day the president decided to commit troops to iraq. Basically that started the war. That morning in the white house i was in the situation room standing by the door. Back then, there was a peephole to look and see what is happening for staff to monitor the room. I knew the meeting was breaking up. I documented the beginning of needing to specifically do, and then at the end, i saw the president salute through that hole. I thought, i really wish i could have made a photo of that. That would have been an amazing pictures. I knew something was happening. The door swings open, the president is standing in front of me. I literally have to leap out of the way or collide. His eyes were literally inches from my eyes and i saw the emotion in his eyes and the tears in his eyes. I knew something had happened. I didnt know exactly what. That buildup to the iraq war is happening. So i followed the president. He walked through the oval office and out to the south lawn. I gave him some room and stayed back knowing he was emotional. He walked the entire length of the south lawn with the dogs. As he approached me, i made a picture and you could see the weight of the decision on his face. The president said to me, eric, are you interested in history . All i could say was yes, sir. He said, these photos in the situation room and south lawn, theyre very important. Just as he said that, secretary rumsfeld and vicepresident cheney were walking down the oval office down the walkway and the president walked over to join them. They started to discuss the timing of the war in iraq. That moment was very intense, especially as the president is speaking to me. Typically, im disengaged from the conversation, you know, from meetings. Thats my job to be the observer, not the particulate. Yeah. That was a very intense moment especially realizing what was happening at the moment, that we were going to war. We were down in my office is a page proof for your book coming out in just a month and a half away, i guess. Your book will be out. This is your book and your years with president bush. What is it you hope to accomplish with this book . Well, you know, what ive always wanted to do with my photography and one of the reasons why i fell in love with photojournalist is telling stories. This story has a beginning and an end, an 8 years story. To have this opportunity to present an important time period for my story with the access i had and have it in one book, to tell that story. Its a story from my perspective, a story that could only be told by the White House Photographer info toes a in photos and words. A lot of photos havent been seen in various ways and unreleased photos. Im very proud to finally have that presentation of my work. How is it to it was tough. I could probably do 10 books because so many pictures. A lot of the cream of the crop, it rose naturally to the top. Obviously, 9 11 was a nobrainer chapter. A chapter on the western white house. A lot of those rose to the top. It was tough, though. We have a lot of favorites. Before we wrap up here, i want to ask you a couple questions. Why did you decide to put your question here . Well, when don carlton proposed the idea immediately i didnt have to think about it, yes, theres a home for my photos. Most importantly not a place where its a sitting duck. Sounds like there would be a living archive for people to come in and study the photos. Thats what really interests me, its a working living type of archive. Then also to be included with so many great photographers i i dollized through the years. Now, im a part of that group. Feel very blessed to be in that company. When you, as a photographer, take a step back and look at this collection as a whole, what do you think the value is of the collection . It gives it a home and important to have access for something as important as the story of the president. To me, its huge. You cant put a number or value on that. Its very important. Im glad the center is here and exists in this way. All right. Is there anything else you want to share or talk about while were here . Any other thoughts . You had a chance to interact with some other photographers, in the past 24 hours . Anything coming out of that experience . No. Its great to hear their stories. Almost like you have these walking talking history books right in front of you. The fact this is a rare opportunity everyone is in the same place at the same time, im trying to take advantage to talk to people im ive known through the years and worked alongside and usually working or cracking pads, a unique opportunity to have time to hang out. Everything was devastating for him at the end. He was really in some ways isolated and alone. Sunday night, author emer tis, William Talbert and his biography, borg chof. He trust them to follow him as the market moves from an economy. He trusted him to follow him and trust him as he made peace in the cold war against the ancient enemy, united states. He trusted them too much it turned out. Sunday night, 8 00 eastern. D daryl heikes photographed a dozen president s. Now discussing his career for u. S. News world report. He photographs the president at the signing of the camp david accords. And the university of texas and ah cities recorded this 40 minute interview and archived his photos