# Michelle Obama's portrait unveiled. Someone's got a sense of humor. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 1, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912 "2009-03-01T20:56:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mariposalabrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@mariposalabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mariposalabrown)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/21 "2009-03-02T01:30:39Z")
It looks way airbrushed, and one eye is wonking worse than Paris Hilton’s, everything is wrong with the composition, but I love the out of focus Jefferson portrait in the back. It’s kind of “How do you like this!” to me. Damn, though, what is wrong with that photographer? Move three inches to the right, and it would have been much better. Man, though, she is gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![Hakuna\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hakuna\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hakuna_Matata)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/22 "2009-03-02T02:29:58Z")
Looks like the photographer was Joyce N. Boghosian from this article in an archived Huffington page: The White House has released the official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama. It was taken in the Blue Room of the White House by photographer Joyce N. Boghosian. Obama wears a sleeveless dress, which has become something of a signature style. The black dress was designed by Michael Kors. From this wiki page it appears she is a White House Photographer [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Photographs\_by\_Joyce\_Boghosian](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Photographs_by_Joyce_Boghosian) I will give her the benefit of the doubt on this photo–I think it is a very bad image. However I didn’t see anything in the wiki link that I thought was a great photo. Maybe she just isn’t ‘my style’ of photographer 😛 However I still think she made Mrs. Obama look pretty damn attractive. I found **Bobtheoptomist** comment comparing her to Laura Bush a bit odd. Huge difference I think in their respective levels of attraction in my opinion, but to each their own. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/23 "2009-03-02T02:33:03Z")
Michelle=good. Rest of photo=bad. Jefferson portrait=irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/24 "2009-03-02T03:02:24Z")
Like others have said, not a great picture, but I do really think that Michelle is the most beautiful First Lady we’ve ever had. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/25 "2009-03-02T03:18:30Z")
> [@Hakuna\_Matata](#): > > However I didn’t see anything in the wiki link that I thought was a great photo. Maybe she just isn’t ‘my style’ of photographer 😛 I don’t know if that Wiki page is representative of her work, but it’s extremely average, at best. Compare it with Pete Souza (Obama’s White House photographer, as well as Reagan’s, and Chicago Tribune photographer in between) work on Obama ([here’s a Google image search](http://images.google.com/images?gbv=2&hl=en&q=pete+souza+obama&start=18&sa=N&ndsp=18)). ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/26 "2009-03-02T03:27:54Z")
Her hair adds an extra three or four inches to her height. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/27 "2009-03-02T03:37:52Z")
I still want to know what, specifically, the OP meant by the photographer(?) having a sense of humor. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/28 "2009-03-02T08:34:18Z")
She is very pretty, but the curtain coming out of her head makes her look like Marge Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/29 "2009-03-02T08:41:19Z")
> [@neutron\_star](#): > > Like others have said, not a great picture, but I do really think that Michelle is the most beautiful First Lady we’ve ever had. This statement makes me go 😕. I guess some people’s mileage really does vary. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/30 "2009-03-02T08:47:35Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Compare it with Pete Souza (Obama’s White House photographer, as well as Reagan’s, and Chicago Tribune photographer in between) work on Obama I was struck by [this image](http://www.petesouza.com/users/petesouza/images/petesouza353157.jpg) and I couldn’t quite tell why, until I realized that a man running up a big building’s stone staircase is a powerful metaphor in our culture. ([Cue “Gonna Fly Now”, from Rocky.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonna_Fly_Now)) > [@neutron\_star](#): > > I still want to know what, specifically, the OP meant by the photographer(?) having a sense of humor. Because Jefferson, who is now widely acknowledged to have fathered children with Sally Hemmings, his slave, is totally checking out her ass. (Look at the framed portrait, top right.) ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/31 "2009-03-02T08:59:49Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Jefferson portrait=irrelevant. I dunno, the photographer definitely made an extra effort to get the portrait in the shot, which is why the picture looks like it has about three feet of wasted space up above Michelle’s head. Whether the OP’s interpretation occurred to her (or more likely, to the First Lady, since I can’t imagine an official WH photographer would try to slip something like that in without the subject being aware) is debatable, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Of course, maybe she just though having a squarish object filling one corner of the frame looked good. ---
**Author:** ![czarcaztic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@czarcaztic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/czarcaztic)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/32 "2009-03-02T12:59:49Z")
> [@neutron\_star](#): > > Like others have said, not a great picture, but I do really think that Michelle is the most beautiful First Lady we’ve ever had. Never saw Jackie? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/33 "2009-03-02T13:09:23Z")
To be fair, this is probably one photo of hundreds taken on that day. I’d hope the composition was better in the others. I too think Michelle is one of the most beautiful first ladies this nation has ever had, Jackie is another. For some reason, I am ticked off there is a flower blocking her left hand…to me that throws the image off more than anything in the background. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/34 "2009-03-02T15:24:42Z")
She does look pretty good in that photo. Which raises the question: Do I have to pay or register or something to get to the hardcore stuff? ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/35 "2009-03-02T15:30:51Z")
> [@Phlosphr](#): > > For some reason, I am ticked off there is a flower blocking her left hand…to me that throws the image off more than anything in the background. Exactly. It’s a poorly composed shot. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/36 "2009-03-02T15:58:49Z")
Jackie’s very beautiful, but IMO Michelle has this great aggressive kick-your-ass vitality that sends her to the top. Dolly Madison was no slump either. I agree that the shot composition is atrocious, and would like to see some of the other photos taken during the shoot! ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/37 "2009-03-02T16:32:05Z")
I think people are responding to Michelle because she is the first First Lady who looks _modern_. I mean, sure, Laura Bush is attractive, but in that 4th-grade-teacher kind of way. Mrs. Obama looks like a regular 45-year-old woman, and dresses pretty much the way my friends that age dress. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/38 "2009-03-02T16:44:12Z")
> [@Sarahfeena](#): > > I think people are responding to Michelle because she is the first First Lady who looks _modern_. I mean, sure, Laura Bush is attractive, but in that 4th-grade-teacher kind of way. Mrs. Obama looks like a regular 45-year-old woman, and dresses pretty much the way my friends that age dress. Laura Bush has that thin-lipped, squinty look, and always seemed to have a stick up her ass. Perhaps it was nervousness. Michelle Obama seems relaxed, confident, and completely natural. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/39 "2009-03-02T17:17:14Z")
I read the thread before I looked at the picture, so I was expecting much worse. It’s not that bad. But it’s not great. I’d like to say a word for Frances Folsom Cleveland: [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://z.about.com/d/womenshistory/1/0/y/I/frances\_cleveland.jpg&imgrefurl=http://womenshistory.about.com/od/firstladiesus/ig/First-Ladies-Picture-Gallery/Frances-Cleveland.htm&usg=\_\_LxoliBS6EyoaO\_ADHPflsjR7ISg=&h=1161&w=936&sz=140&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=rytmBZfjMFxvkM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfirst%2Bladies%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ie%3DUTF-8](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://z.about.com/d/womenshistory/1/0/y/I/frances_cleveland.jpg&imgrefurl=http://womenshistory.about.com/od/firstladiesus/ig/First-Ladies-Picture-Gallery/Frances-Cleveland.htm&usg=__LxoliBS6EyoaO_ADHPflsjR7ISg=&h=1161&w=936&sz=140&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=rytmBZfjMFxvkM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfirst%2Bladies%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ie%3DUTF-8) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912/40 "2009-03-02T17:18:35Z")
> [@czarcaztic](#): > > Never saw Jackie? Jackie had weird sixties hair. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michelle-obamas-portrait-unveiled-someones-got-a-sense-of-humor/487912.md?page=3)