"The President is always asking staff to bring their babies and young kids by for a visit. Here, during a break between meetings one afternoon, the President crawled around in the Oval Office with Communications Director Jen Psaki's daughter Vivi." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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Behind the scenes with Obama
01:16 - Source: CNN

Story highlights

Chief White House photographer Pete Souza selects his best

See Malia and Sasha Obama attending their first State Dinner

CNN  — 

In a year-end tradition, Chief White House photographer Pete Souza has selected the best photos of President Barack Obama from 2016.

“As always, the editing for this project is both subjective and personal. Yes, there are some historic moments included but mostly I was looking for behind-the-scenes moments that give people a more personal look at the President and First Lady,” Souza wrote. “And I’ve included a few that I thought were just cool photos.”

The photos feature the president playing golf, meeting voters with First Lady Michelle Obama, and working with staff in the Oval Office.

One photo shows Obama and the First Lady dancing with 106-year-old Virginia McLaurin in the Blue Room during African American History Month. Another shows Obama receiving an update in the Oval Office on the situation in Syria from key staffers.

Souza also included a picture of Malia and Sasha Obama attending their first State Dinner.

“What an honor to watch these girls grow up. Malia, foreground, and Sasha were both invited guests for the State Dinner in honor of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and Mrs. Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau,” he said. “Following the actual sit-down dinner in the East Room, they made their way down the Great Hall to the State Dining Room for the musical entertainment.”

Here are all the photos and a few selected here:

President Obama reacts as his putt falls just short during an impromptu hole of golf with staffers Joe Paulsen, left, and Marvin Nicholson after the U.S.-ASEAN Summit at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, Calif. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama reacts as his putt falls just short during an impromptu hole of golf with staffers Joe Paulsen, left, and Marvin Nicholson after the U.S.-ASEAN Summit at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands in Rancho Mirage, Calif. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Pete Souza/The White House
"The President is always asking staff to bring their babies and young kids by for a visit. Here, during a break between meetings one afternoon, the President crawled around in the Oval Office with Communications Director Jen Psaki's daughter Vivi." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
"The President is always asking staff to bring their babies and young kids by for a visit. Here, during a break between meetings one afternoon, the President crawled around in the Oval Office with Communications Director Jen Psaki's daughter Vivi." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Pete Souza/The White House
"The White House was hosting South by South Lawn, an event based on the infamous South by Southwest event in Austin, Texas. Just before lunch that day, the President was checking out the setup from a window in the Oval Office before the gates were opened. 'Hey Pete,' he said to me, 'let's go take a picture with the LEGO® men.' And so we did." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
"The White House was hosting South by South Lawn, an event based on the infamous South by Southwest event in Austin, Texas. Just before lunch that day, the President was checking out the setup from a window in the Oval Office before the gates were opened. 'Hey Pete,' he said to me, 'let's go take a picture with the LEGO® men.' And so we did." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Pete Souza/The White House
"The President was about to welcome local children for Halloween trick-or-treating when he ran into Superman Walker Earnest, son of Press Secretary Josh Earnest, in the Ground Floor Corridor of the White House. 'Flex those muscles,' he said to Walker." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
"The President was about to welcome local children for Halloween trick-or-treating when he ran into Superman Walker Earnest, son of Press Secretary Josh Earnest, in the Ground Floor Corridor of the White House. 'Flex those muscles,' he said to Walker." (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Pete Souza/The White House
Two days after the election, the President meets with President-elect Donald Trump. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Two days after the election, the President meets with President-elect Donald Trump. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Pete Souza/The White House