Raised in rural Illinois, Dick Swanson (b. 1935) worked on his uncle's weekly newspaper as a child. He graduated from the University of Illinois, then worked as staff photographer for the Davenport Democrat and the Des Moines Register . In 1966 Swanson went to Vietnam on assignment for Life Magazine . Swanson continued with Life as White House photographer until 1972. He has photographed for Time, People, Money, Fortune, National Geographic, the Washington Post, and Newsweek .
From the guide to the Dick L. Swanson Photographic Archive, 94-249, 94-260, 94-272, 94-289, 95-114, 96-135. 2007-235., 1959-1994., (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)