Shealah Craighead (left), Donald Trump.Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP Images; Scott Olson/Getty
Instead, the former president released his own book — and,The New York Timesreportedthis week, Craighead scuttled hers.
According to theTimesstory published Thursday, former associates of Trump said that while he initially agreed to help promote and write the foreword for Craighead’s book — in exchange for a cut of her advance payment — he ultimately decided to move forward with his own book, which also featured her photos.
Trump’s book, titledOur Journey Together, was released in December and retails for $75, with signed copies going for upwards of $230. TheTimesreports that the book includes no photo credits, but does mention Craighead in the acknowledgements.
(By law, the White House images are in the public domain, making them fair game for people other than the photographer who took them.)
The series of events dismayed some who have been in Craighead’s position.
“It’s a slap in the face,” Eric Bush, achief photographerin theGeorge W. BushWhite House, told theTimes.
Shealah Craighead.Andrew Harnik/AP Images
Craighead, meanwhile, declined to comment to theTimeson the discussions surrounding Trump’s involvement with her book. “I stay apolitical as possible, as I am a neutral historical documentarian,” she told the paper. “By staying neutral I am able to remain a keen observer.”
She added, however, that she was no longer moving forward with her own book.
Neither Craighead nor a spokesperson for Trump responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
The work of White House photographers is available to the general public, includingvia sites like Flickr. Still, many photographers release books of their work after leaving office.
Former White House photographer Pete Souza’s first book,OBAMA: An Intimate Portrait, features photographs ofBarack Obamathat capture the most joyful and heart-wrenching moments during his time in the White House.
Souza’s second book,SHADE: A Tale of Two Presidents, juxtaposes news stories about Trump with photos from Obama’s time in office.
“You’re with this person every day, so you experience the highs and the lows,“Joe Biden’s White House chief photographer, Adam Schultz,told PEOPLE last year.
source: people.com
