Video Footage captured by White House Videographers (22-21458-F.8)

The materials in FOIA 22-21458-F.8 are a selective, not necessarily all-inclusive, body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult an archivist about related materials.

FOIA 22-21458-F.8 requested all the raw video footage shot by White House Videographers Arun Chaudhary, Hope Hall, and any other official videographer working in the White House during the Obama Administration.  

This FOIA primarily contains footage from the beehive on the South Lawn on June 11, 2009, and honey extraction on July 30, 2009; students from Bancroft Elementary School cooking in the White House Kitchen on June 16, 2009; and planting of the White House Kitchen Garden on March 23, 2009.  

72 video clips

  • Videos

The materials in FOIA 22-21458-F.8 are a systematic body of documents responsive to the topic of the FOIA. Researchers should consult an archivist about related materials.  

Documents responsive to this FOIA were found in these collection areas – White House Communications Agency.

White House Communications Agency records are processed at the folder/videotape level. While this method maintains folder/videotape integrity, it frequently results in the incidental processing of videotapes that are not wholly responsive to the subject area.

The following is a list of documents, folders, and electronic search results lists (SRLs) that were processed in response to FOIA 22-21458-F.8:

Audiovisual Records

  • Communications Agency, White House (WHCA)
    • Obama Administration Material
      • Tape 314 – FLOTUS Garden - 03/23/2009 (52 clips; all released in full): 
        • Fifteen clips are duplicative of clips from Tape 1804.  Those videos can be made available upon request.
      • Tape 315 – FLOTUS Garden - 03/23/2009 (3 clips; 2 Release in Full, 1 Withheld in Full) 
        • Two of the clips are duplicative.  The clip not included in the released video can be made available upon request.
      • Tape 1804 – Bees - 06/10/2009 (17 clips; all released in full):  

Collection is open to all researchers. Access to Barack Obama Presidential Records is governed by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) (44 USC 2201) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 USC 552, as amended) and therefore records may be restricted in whole or in part in accordance with legal exemptions.

Audiovisual records in this collection were prepared by officials of the United States government as part of their official duties are in the public domain. Researchers are advised to consult the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, USC) which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material.

Official records of Barack Obama’s presidency are housed at the Barack Obama Presidential Library and administered by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) under the provisions of the Presidential Records Act (PRA).

Staff Archivists, 2026. Previously restricted materials are added as they are released.