This series consists of the official photographs documenting the Stephen J. Harper's activities as Leader of the Official Opposition from November 2005 to January 2006, and as Prime Minister of Canada from February 2006 to November 2015. These digital images provide a day-by-day photographic account of Stephen Harper's public and private life during that period.
Starting in 2006, Jason Ransom and Deborah (Deb) Ransom were respectively official photographer and special assistant to the official photographer. They reported to the Principal Secretary, in PMO. In 2009, the Photography unit was created and continued to report to the Principal Secretary. The Ransoms' titles then change to chief photographer and official photographer. Jillian (Jill) Thompson (née Propp) also joins as a special assistant. The three photographers are the Prime Minister's official photographers until the end of the mandate. Occasionally, PCO employees and PMO employees from other units would shoot photographs that are part of this collection.
The Photography unit role was to document Stephen J. Harper's life while he was Prime Minister of Canada. Typically, one photographer would be assigned to shoot the photos for an event. For big events, such as Canada Day or Remembrance Day, two to three photographers would go in order to get multiple angles. Some of Laureen Harper's activities were also captured by the photographers. For example, at international events attended by Mrs. Harper, Deborah Ransom or Jill Propp would take pictures of her activities, while Jason Ransom would document Mr. Harper's activities.
This series is organized into two sub-series. Sub-series "Original official photographs" includes the complete set of photographs taken by the official photographers in their original format. Sub-series "Best-of official photographs collection" consists of images chosen, individually described and converted to jpg format by the Official photographers for research and dissemination purposes.
