Photo: Charles Dharapak by Ted Anthony, AP’s director of Asia-Pacific news – AP supplied
Charles Dharapak, a veteran photographer who has spent the past decade chronicling the activities and travels of U.S. presidents and American political campaigns, has been named Asia-Pacific regional photo editor for The Associated Press.
Dharapak, 43, has been based in Washington for the AP since 2003 and frequently travels with the president on Air Force One. Since 2003 he has covered the White House under Bush and Obama, national politics, and the 2004, 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. Recently he has taken a visible role in advocating greater press access under the Obama administration.
“Charlie’s progression from photographer to regional photo editor is testament to his ability and desire to share his considerable knowledge with the Asia photo staff,” said Santiago Lyon, AP vice president and director of photography. “I am confident he will prove to be as fine a leader as he has been a photographer, and that our staff and customers in Asia will benefit from the appointment.”
• View Dharapak’s photography at AP
• In 2012, Charles was named photographer of the year by the White House News Photographers Association. He is also a frequent smartphone photographer whose images have earned him a dedicated following on Instagram.
• Dharapak will be based in Bangkok, joining Ted Anthony, Asia-Pacific Regional Video Editor Celine Rosario and Assistant Asia Editor Vijay Joshi at the AP’s Asia-Pacific regional headquarters. His appointment marks the first time that the Asia-Pacific leaders of all of AP’s primary journalism formats — photos, video and text — will be located in the same place.