Photographer George Lange opens up about what it’s like to photograph Glenn

September 26, 2013

Writer

On radio this morning, Glenn interviewed his long-time friend and photographer, George Lange, about his new book, The Unforgettable Photograph. George also released an exclusive e-book chapter – “How I Photograph Glenn” – exclusively for the Glenn Beck Store. Learn more about this special edition offer HERE.

“My good friend, and if you're a longtime listener of the program, you know him as the guy who's damn near a Communist,” Glenn joked. “George Lange is one of the best photographers in the world and a good friend of mine and a guy who started taking pictures of me when I was at CNN.”

Glenn has probably told the story of how he and George began working together about a million times already, but in case you aren’t familiar with the story, here is the cliff notes version:

“He is not a guy who liked George W. Bush. And he just assumed, because I worked at CNN and I was in New York, that I thought like he did. And I hold my tongue the whole time. And he's talking to me about how much he doesn't like George W. Bush. But the point of the story of him telling me that is he couldn't take his picture. They offered him the job and he said, ‘I can't, I can't take it because I cannot take a good picture. It would be dishonest because I take pictures with my heart. And they wouldn't be flattering,’” Glenn explained. “And we finished our photo shoot and I said to George that I actually liked George W. Bush, and I'm a conservative. All the blood drained out of his face like, ‘Oh, what have I done! I'm beginning to like this guy!’ And I said, ‘But you seem to be a real man of honor, and I respect that.’ And when we had another photo shoot, he had a decision to make. I don't know, do I want to shoot this guy again, or am I going to shoot this guy? And I don't know why you decided to…”

“Well, the head of Simon and Schuster, one of the top editors there called me,” George interjected. “And I said, ‘I'm having real problems with pursuing this shooting with Glenn Beck.’ And he said, ‘This is the deal. You guys have some really insane, creative energy going on. And Glenn criticizes Democrats as well as Republicans. And I think that you should pursue this relationship.’ And he doubled my fee.”

“So he's a sell out,” Glenn joked.

The purpose of George’s new book is to teach people that you do not have to be a world famous photographer to take an unforgettable picture.

“We're all living extraordinary lives, and my argument is that we're taking pictures that aren't so extraordinary, that don't really show how amazing we are,” George explained. “We're capturing our personal histories every day with our devices, and we're missing the great moments. What I'm doing and talking about in the book are not, like, things that only you can do as a professional with a fancy camera. They're just these moments every day that really define us… And the thing that's so interesting about my career is I'm not interested in any surfaces. I'm not interested in your hair, in what you're wearing. I'm actually not interested in what you do for a living. I'm interested in who you are as a person. And that's the door that I come in to take my pictures, whether it's from my kids or my wife or the Obamas or Glenn Beck. And I love saying your two names in the same sentence.”

The first time Glenn took George on the road with him was right before the launch of the 9/12 project, and George, admittedly, was worried about interacting with Glenn’s audience. As it turns out, Glenn’s fans and Glenn’s events have become some of his favorite things to shoot.

“Your audience has completely embraced me. And they know, you know, my politics such as they are. They’ve seen my card,” George said. “And it's been the most extraordinary experience when I get to be with them.”

When it comes to photographing Glenn, George takes pride in the fact that he has been able to photograph Glenn in moments that show him for who he is as a person – void of politics and his public persona.

“I mean every time that I photograph someone, from the first time I photographed you, I don't know if you remember or not, to again every celebrity and every factory worker that I've ever photographed, I look at them and I say, ‘All we're doing is putting love out in the world,’” George explained. “That's how I've lived my life and that's how I do my career. Whatever my politics happen to be, they have to work around that core value.”

“But last night you asked me if I've ever photographed evil,” he continued. “But the thing that's so interesting is I just, it's not on my radar. It's like, I can't see that. I don't photograph that part of people. I am really looking for the goodness in people, and it sounds completely corny and it sounds corny to me.”

In fact, one George’s favorite pictures he has ever taken of Glenn came from a place where one of the most evil atrocities occurred – Auschwitz.

“This is one of the weirdest things that has ever happened, and this shows you. Because this was his answer last night when I said, have you ever photographed evil? He said, you know, even when we were in Auschwitz, he said, and that was profoundly awful and evil and, you know, George and I were a wreck for days after that. That changed both of us,” Glenn said. “But I'll never forget. We were in the gas chambers… We couldn't take it. Neither of us could take it. We both walked out and then we collected ourselves and then walked back in again for another look. And when we walked in, I said to George, ‘George, take a picture of the claw marks in the wall.’”

“When we were walking out and we came around a corner and we stood there for a while just trying to collect ourselves. Still in the gas chambers but still trying to collect ourselves. And George was still taking pictures, and I didn't even notice that he was really taking pictures of me,” Glenn continued. “We walk out and we stop and he came up to me and he said, ‘You know what's crazy?’ And I said, ‘What?’ And he said, ‘I think I just took the most beautiful picture of you I've ever taken... in there.’ And I can't ever look at that picture without knowing right where it is and I don't necessarily know what you saw in it, but I can't see anything but the evil in it. But somehow or another you saw the light in there.”

“Right. And it was the light coming in the door. There was this beautiful light coming in the door and it's really hard being at Auschwitz. I mean, you want to be there on a cold winter, miserable day, and we were there on a beautiful summer day,” George explained. “And the grass is growing and the light is beautiful and we're having this experience and there was this incredible light coming in and I took that picture. And to have that beauty in a place that evil for me, you know, that's what I see. That's what I look for. But at that moment it was pretty extraordinary.”

George will be sharing some of his 'unforgettable photos' on tonight's Glenn Beck Program at 5pm ET only on TheBlaze. Not a subscriber? Start your 14-day free trial HERE. You can also FOLLOW Glenn on Instagram to see more photos from his daily life.

5 videos that reveal the WOKE GARBAGE being taught to our kids

School today is not like it used to be...

Glenn recently covered how our medical schools have been taken over by gender-affirming, anti-racist, woke garbage, and unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. Education at all levels has been compromised by progressive ideology. From high-level university academics to grade school, American children are constantly being bombarded by the latest backward propaganda from the left. Luckily, in the age of Zoom classes and smartphones, it's harder for teachers to get away their agenda in secret. Here are five videos that show just how corrupt schools really are:

Woke teacher vandalizes pro-life display

Professor Shellyne Rodriguez, an art professor at Hunter College in New York, was caught on camera having a violent argument with a group of pro-life students who were tabling on campus. Rodriguez was later fired from her position after threatening a reporter from the New York Post, who was looking into this incident, with a machete.

Woke professor argues with student after he called police heroes

An unnamed professor from Cypress College was captured having a heated discussion with a student over Zoom. The professor verbally attacked the student, who had given a presentation on "cancel culture" and his support of law enforcement. The university later confirmed that the professor was put on leave after the incident.

Professor goes on Anti-Trump rant

Professor Olga Perez Stable Cox was filmed by a student going on an anti-Trump rant during her human-sexuality class at Orange Coast College. This rant included Professor Cox describing Trump's election as "an act of terrorism”. The student who filmed this outburst was suspended for an entire semester along with several other punishments, including a three-page apology essay to Professor Cox explaining his actions. Orange Coast College continues to defend Professor Cox, citing the student code of conduct.

Unhinged teacher caught on video going on left-wing political rant

Lehi High School teacher Leah Kinyon was filmed amid a wild, left-wing rant during a chemistry class. Kinyon made several politically charged remarks, which included encouraging students to get vaccinated and calling President Trump a "literal moron." Despite her claims that the school admins "don't give a crap" about her delusional ramblings, a statement from Lehi High School reveals that she "is no longer an employee of Alpine School District."

Far-left Berkeley law professor melts down when a Senator asks her if men can get pregnant

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Berkeley Law Professor Khiara M. Bridges was asked by Missouri Senator Josh Hawley to clarify earlier statements involving "people with a capacity for pregnancy." The senator's line of questioning is met with a long-winded, frantic rant accusing the senator of being transphobic. When Sen. Hawley tries to clarify further, Professor Bridges makes the outrageous claim that such a line of questioning somehow leads to trans suicides.

Woke ideology trumps medicine in America's top 5 medical schools

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Progressive ideology has infected our most prestigious medical schools and is seeping into our medical system.

As Glenn covered in his latest TV special, "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI), and leftist rhetoric have overtaken science and medicine as the focus of medical schools across the nation. The next generation of doctors and nurses is being force-fed DEI and "anti-racist" nonsense at the expense of slipping standards. This has led to a decline in people's trust in the medical industry and for good reason. Woke ideology has already been the driving force behind at least one medical malpractice case, and more are undoubtedly on the way.

All of this is being spearheaded by universities, which have integrated DEI practices into the fabric of their programs. Our top medical schools now require students and staff to participate in mandatory DEI and "anti-racist" classes and training and are adjusting the standards to reflect this new shift in focus. Here are 5 statements from the top American medical schools that show that medicine is no longer their primary focus:

Harvard Medical School

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Taken from the Harvard University "Unconscious bias" resource page:

“As members of HMS, we each have a responsibility to create an inclusive community that values all individuals. Barriers to inclusion may include assumptions we make about others that guide our interactions. Recognizing our Unconscious Bias is a critical step in developing a culture of equity and inclusion within HMS and in our partnerships with other communities.”

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

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Pulled from the JHM Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity blog:

“One-hour live, virtual unconscious bias training ... [w]ill be required at all Johns Hopkins Health System (JHHS) entities for managers and above; hospital nurse leaders; credentialed providers (such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners); and for school of medicine faculty and trainees (including residents, fellows, medical and graduate students, and research postdocs), as well as those at a manager level or above.”

Stanford University School of Medicine

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Found on the Stanford Medicine Commission on Justice and Equity page:

“The Commission on Justice and Equity—composed of external and internal leaders, experts, and advocates—represents an institution-wide, collaborative effort to dismantle systemic racism and discrimination within our own community and beyond.”

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

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Taken from the Penn Medicine Commitment to Inclusion, Equity, and Antiracism site:

“We openly acknowledge the role of structural forces of oppression as primary drivers of the disparate health outcomes. We believe that working to reverse the underrepresentation of historically excluded groups is critical in achieving equitable health outcomes. While this is an ongoing journey for our program, here are some of the tangible steps we have taken to achieve an inclusive culture”

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

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Pulled from the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Justice, and Anti-Racism page:

"Courses are being revised to be more inclusive and informed by the key principle of race as a social construct and a social determinant of health. We are training faculty that Anti-Racism is not an add-on to a course. Anti-Racism is a pedagogy - a manner of teaching, designing courses, and measuring learning outcomes. We make sure that the classroom environment is inclusive by holding space for respectful conversation and ensuring that we address any “classroom ruptures”– a disorienting dilemma or situation when a bias or microaggression that may occur, providing real time opportunities for professional development, learning, and growth. Racist actions and remarks are never tolerated at Columbia University and will be dealt with following established protocols."

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

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"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

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"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

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"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

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"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

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"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

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"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?