Nixon White House Tapes ›Tape 643 › Conversation 643-001
Atkins, Butterfield & Sanchez on White House photography and Oval Office
Friday, December 24, 1971 · 11:57 AM–4:18 PM ET · Oval Office ·2 min
AI Summary
White House photographer Ollie Atkins, Alexander Butterfield, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office to coordinate logistics for a forthcoming photography session. The group focused on adjusting camera positioning and framing, specifically assessing the height of equipment and optimal angles for shots within the West Wing and the Yellow Room. This session served as a technical preparation to ensure the President's preferred aesthetic and style were captured during upcoming appearances.
- White House photography
- Oval Office
- Logistics
- Camera positioning
- Public relations
Audio
Transcript (AI-generated)
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NARA Description
On December 24, 1971, Oliver F. ("Ollie") Atkins, unknown person(s), Alexander P. Butterfield, and Manolo Sanchez met in the Oval Office of the White House at an unknown time between 11:57 am and 4:18 pm. The Oval Office taping system captured this recording, which is known as Conversation 643-001 of the White House Tapes.
Nixon Library Finding Aid
Conversation No. 643-1
Date: December 24, 1971
Time: Unknown between 11:57 am and 4:18 pm
Location: Oval Office
Forthcoming photograph session
-Preparations
-Unknown object
-Height
Alexander P. Butterfield and Manolo Sanchez entered at an unknown time after 11:57 am.
-The president's views
-Yellow Room
-West Wing
Butterfield and Sanchez left at an unknown time before 4:18 pm.
-Camera shots
-Style
The conversation was cut off at an unknown time before 4:18 pm.Also recorded on December 24, 1971
- 017-004 11:55 AM · 6 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 11:55 am and 1:37 pm.
- 309-001 12:00 PM · 1 hr 30 min — President Richard M. Nixon, John D. Ehrlichman, and Henry A. Kissinger met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 12:00 pm to 1:37 pm.
- 017-005 1:37 PM · 9 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz talked on the telephone from 1:37 pm to 1:46 pm.
- 309-002 1:37 PM · 11 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at 1:37 pm.
- 309-003 1:37 PM · 7 min — President Richard M. Nixon and George P. Shultz met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building from 1:37 pm to 1:46 pm.
- 017-006 1:46 PM · 8 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator talked on the telephone at an unknown time between 1:46 pm and 1:48 pm.
- 309-004 1:46 PM · 2 min — President Richard M. Nixon and Stephen B. Bull met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:46 pm and 1:48 pm.
- 309-005 1:46 PM · 9 sec — President Richard M. Nixon and the White House operator met in the President's office in the Old Executive Office Building at an unknown time between 1:46 pm and 1:48 pm.
Cite this conversation
Conversation 643-001, December 24, 1971. White House Tapes, Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, National Archives. Audio and AI transcript via Easy Nixon, https://www.easynixon.org/tapes/643-001 (accessed September 18, 2026).