Hillary Clinton Called "Worst Subject Yet" by Professional Photographer

How a Long-Awaited Photoshoot Turned Into a Nightmare for One Ambitious Snapper

In a YouTube video recounting a highly anticipated photoshoot with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2018, photographer Harry Borden shares his tumultuous experience that went from excitement to frustration in just a matter of hours.

The day began with hope and ambition but quickly spiraled into chaos, revealing the harsh realities of working in the high-stakes world of celebrity photography.

Eager to capture the essence of Hillary Clinton, the photographer arrived with a special gift—a book titled Survivor: Portraits of the Holocaust Survivors—hoping to impress and create a meaningful connection. However, what followed was a series of setbacks that left him feeling undervalued and disrespected.

After waiting for hours while Hillary mingled with dignitaries and addressed children, the moment for the photoshoot seemed to slip further away.

“She spent the day shaking hands with dignitaries and also starstruck children, giving sort of pompous speeches tinged with bitterness over the failure to beat Trump,” he said, explaining that Hillary was surrounded by “sycophantic flunkies.”

Despite numerous attempts to communicate with her public relations team, the photographer received no response, leading to an unsettling feeling that something was amiss. “I texted Michelle, the flaky PR, to tell her that we need pictures, but there was no reply,” he lamented.

Determined to get his shot, he took matters into his own hands, navigating through security personnel who treated him like a common paparazzi. What he found was disheartening; Clinton’s entourage ignored him completely, treating him as an afterthought rather than the professional he was. “They were walking past me like I wasn’t even there,” he recalled with frustration.

Eventually, at the end of the day, Hillary and her entourage began to leave, without any explanation to the photographer. Seizing a moment when Clinton was accessible, he managed to capture her image after being met with hostility from her team.

“I sort of muscled her into a little makeshift studio,” he explained. With only 15 seconds to work with, he snapped away, feeling both triumphant and irritated as he defended himself against accusations of being too intrusive.

The photographer’s anger boiled over as he realized he had been misled by an incompetent publicist who had promised interviews and photos but delivered nothing. Reflecting on the experience, he said, “It was infuriating to see how dismissive they were of my time and effort.” After the chaotic encounter, he vented his frustrations in the street, lighting up a cigarette—a rare indulgence after years of abstaining.