Former White House photographer Pete Souza returned to Madison this week as part of the opening for a gallery exhibition of his images.

Souza was an official photographer for President Ronald Regan and chief White House photographer for both Obama administrations. He and his wife, Patti Lease, lived in Madison for five years before they recently moved to Peoria, Illinois to be closer to Souza’s family. 

The University of Wisconsin-Madison hosted a panel discussion about his work in Marquee Cinema at Union South Tuesday evening and a gallery opening of Souza’s photographs in the Education Building Wednesday morning. Souza’s photographs will be on display in the gallery until May 17.

Here’s our own Cap Times photo gallery of Souza’s visit and work:



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Allison Prasch, associate professor of rhetoric, politics and culture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, introduces former White House photographer Pete Souza before serving on a panel with him and other professors at the discussion.






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Professors Allison Prasch of UW-Madison), Cara Finnegan of the University of Illinois and Theon Hill of Wheaton College serve as panelists in a discussion with Pete Souza about the impact of his photographs.






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Pete Souza shares details about his time as a White House photographer for Ronald Regan and Barack Obama.






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Theon Hill, Wheaton College associate professor of communication, speaks about race and the impact of Pete Souza’s photographs of Barack Obama’s historic presidency as Souza’s photos are displayed overhead.






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Pete Souza sits in front of an image he made of President Obama removing his shoes before entering the Sultan Hassan mosque in Egypt in 2009.






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Drake White-Bergey, University of Wisconsin-Madison journalism student and editor-in-chief of the student newspaper The Daily Cardinal, sits in the front row for the presentation and discussion.






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Guests view Pete Souza’s photographs on a large screen as they listen to the panel discussion.






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After first saying “P.S.,” Pete Souza gives extra details about his photographs after panelists’ remarks.






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Guests view a collection of Pete’s Souza’s photographs from the Obama administration during a gallery opening in the Education Building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Wednesday morning.






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Photographs taken by Pete Souza, during the Obama administration, are on display in the UW-Madison Education Building gallery until May 17.






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Chris Walker, lower right, University of Wisconsin-Madison director of division of the arts, shakes hands with Pete Souza during the gallery opening.






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Pete Souza smiles as he greets guests at his gallery opening.






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Guests line up against a window to listen to remarks by Pete Souza at the gallery opening.






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Chris Walker, left, UW-Madison director of division of the arts, talks with artist and professor Faisal Abdu’Allah, right, during the event.






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Pete Souza talks with guests while one of his photographs of President Barack Obama is reflected in the gallery window beside him.






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Patti Lease looks at photographs taken by her husband, Pete Souza, as guests mingle at the gallery opening.






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Theon Hill, Wheaton College associate professor of communication, mingles with guests in a gallery of Pete Souza’s photographs from the Obama administration. Hill was part of a panel discussion with Souza and other professors the previous evening.






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Guests mingle and have coffee and pastries with Pete Souza and his wife, Patti Lease, before the gallery opening.






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Guests gather to speak with Pete Souza at the gallery opening Wednesday morning.