Behind the Lens: Photographing History | 037

What if you had 6 minutes in the Oval Office to photograph the president—while the communications team is shutting you down and the Secretary Of State and Joint Chiefs are waiting by the door to contain an international incident? Ben Baker, who’s photographed five US presidents, recounts the stories behind his iconic images of Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump.  

Ben’s story begins in the Australian outback where as a boy he often accompanied his father, a mediator working with Indigenous communities, on trips that honed his skills for observing, listening, and connecting.  

Those formative experiences laid the groundwork for a career defined by resilience, adaptability, a flair for storytelling, and a talent for getting people to reveal themselves. 

Ben recalls key lessons about discipline and preparation, gained in working with legendary photographers like Annie Leibovitz, Harry Benson, and Mark Seliger. And how, early in his career, Rupert Murdoch taught him the importance of owning the room and taking charge when dealing with people in power.  

Approaching photographs as historical documents, Ben talks us through the strategies he’s developed to find the connection point with each subject to capture the person and the moment. We discuss the art of slowing the environment down in high-pressure situations in order to get the job done. “Take the steps,” Ben says. “The ladder needs to have the steps on it for a reason, not to slow you down, but to give you a chance to absorb it all.” 

TESS’S TAKEAWAYS: 

• The skill of getting presidents, business leaders, and celebrities to engage.   
• Creativity thrives with discipline, preparation, observation, and resilience. 
• Some tension and pushback opens your mind to other options and angles.  
• A lesson from Annie Leibovitz: Prepare and be at your best to be able to take the shot.  
• Dress to be ready for anything. It's your job to get to the next room. 
• Seize every opportunity: Own the room, step up, and ask for what you want.  
• To keep people in the room and in the moment, find the in with them. 
• In high-pressure situations: Slow down the environment. 

ABOUT BEN BAKER 

As a photographer and director, Ben Baker has captured iconic images of the last five US presidents, leaders of over 50 other countries, and countless business luminaries and celebrities.   

A childhood in South Australia and the Northern Territory ignited Ben’s interest in exploring and documenting the richness of our shared humanity through photography.  

After getting his start in Australia, Ben moved to New York, where he assisted Annie Leibovitz. He went on to work with some of contemporary photography’s most respected figures, including Mary Ellen Mark, Harry Benson, and Mark Seliger.  

Striking out on his own, he’s spent the last 25 years pursuing meaningful human engagement by telling stories with his camera.   

Ben’s images have appeared on the covers of over 100 magazines, numerous books, and in editorials and campaigns for Time, Newsweek, Forbes, Fortune, Politico, Oprah, and Esquire.   

His portraits are displayed in the permanent collection at the National Portrait Gallery of Australia and in the African American Museum of History and Culture in Washington, DC. Exhibitions include the National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC. 

CONNECT WITH BEN 

Website: https://www.benbakerstudio.com/ 

The People’s Portrait Studio: https://thepeoplesportrait.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benbakerphoto/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benbakerphoto/ 

Meet Tess Masters:  

Tess Masters is an actor, presenter, health coach, cook, and author of The Blender Girl, The Blender Girl Smoothies, and The Perfect Blend, published by Penguin Random House. She is also the creator of the Skinny60® health programs.     

Health tips and recipes by Tess have been featured in the LA Times, Washington Post, InStyle, Prevention, Shape, Glamour, Real Simple, Yoga Journal, Yahoo Health, Hallmark Channel, The Today Show, and many others.   

Tess’s magnetic personality, infectious enthusiasm, and down-to-earth approach have made her a go-to personality for people of all dietary stripes who share her conviction that healthy living can be easy and fun. Get delicious recipes at TheBlenderGirl.com.  

Connect With Tess: 

Website:  https://tessmasters.com/  

Podcast:  https://ithastobeme.com/   

Health Programs: https://www.skinny60.com/

Recipes: https://www.theblendergirl.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theblendergirl/  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblendergirl/  

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/theblendergirl  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessmasters/  

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