George Skadding with an impressive lighting-and-camera rig, 1948. (Photo by George Skadding/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

George Skadding with an impressive lighting-and-camera rig, 1948. (Photo by George Skadding/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

The White House kicked him off a tour with Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 because one Skadding picture, taken for the Associated Press, made the President look haggard. Skadding said he hadn’t meant to trouble Roosevelt, who was at the time besieged with criticism that he was no longer physically able to run for another term. “It’s not my fault. I just shot the picture,” Skadding said. “Some idiot in LA picked it.” Both before the war and after, however, Skadding served as an officer of the White House News Photographers Association.

Adapted from The Great LIFE Photographers

President Harry Truman walking arm-in-arm w. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as he arrives at Blair House for his visit to discuss foreign affairs. (Photo by George Skadding/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

President Harry Truman walking arm-in-arm w. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as he arrives at Blair House for his visit to discuss foreign affairs. (Photo by George Skadding/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation)

More Like This

Children in blitzed north of England eating meal from bread and Lease Lend cheese. (Photo by Hans Wild/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

Hans Wild

Senator John F. Kennedy playing peek-a-boo with his daughter Caroline in her crib. (Photo by Edward Clark/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

Edward Clark

Elvis and Priscilla leave the house he and his family occupied in Bad Nauheim, Germany. (Photo by James Whitmore/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

James Whitmore

Street scene during business hours. (Photo by Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

Peter Stackpole

American soldiers of 7th Marines landing on the beaches of Cape Batangan during the Vietnam War. (Photo by Paul Schutzer/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

Paul Schutzer

Balinese farmer herding his flock of ducks through a field. (Photo by Co Rentmeester/The LIFE Picture Collection © Meredith Corporation) Photographer

Co Rentmeester