White House photographer Pete Souza shared his view of the year as seen through his lens. From his flickr account, we’ve selected a few good ones. Included in Souza’s gallery is a photo of Michelle and Barack Obama hugging which went on to break the internet. Click through for a glimpse behind the scenes with President Obama.

Following the shootings in Newtown, the president traveled to Connecticut to meet with the families of the victims. During the dark time, one bright spot was this photo taken with siblings and cousins of Emilie Parker, one of the 20 children who was killed on Dec. 14.

President Obama listened as John Brennan briefed him on the details of the Newtown shooting. The president said later in a TV interview that it was the worst day of his presidency.

While aides listened on the speaker phone in the Oval Office, President Obama spoke on the phone with President Mohammed Morsi of Egypt about the escalating violence in Gaza on Nov. 14.

Souza captured a presidential point of view in the White House Situation Room on Oct. 29. President Obama received an update on the ongoing response to Hurricane Sandy during a teleconference with key officials.

Even presidents have to get themselves dolled up. President Obama tied his white tie before the annual Alfred E. Smith dinner, which the two presidential nominees attend every four years just a few weeks before the election. Sounds like a recipe for awkward!

President Obama spoke with Ron Klain during debate preparations in Henderson, Nev., on Oct. 2. Senator John Kerry, in the background, played the role of Mitt Romney during the sessions.

Backstage at the Democratic National Convention, President Obama watched former president Bill Clinton deliver his nomination speach.

Staff members held flashlights so Vice President Biden could see as he signed autographs backstage at West York Area High School in York, Pa., on Sept. 2.

Overcome with emotion, 8-year-old Make-A-Wish child Janiya Penny tried to pull it together just after meeting the president as he welcomed her family to the Oval Office.

In this July 14 photo, the president delivered remarks in the rain in Glen Allen, Va. He was scheduled to do a series of indoor interviews but decided to give the people, who had been waiting outside for hours, what they wanted.

President and Michelle Obama watched Laura Jarrett and Tony Balkissoon take their vows during their wedding at Valerie Jarrett’s home in Chicago.

When he’s not dealing with national crises, international conflicts, or making little ones’ days, President Obama shoots hoops with celebrities. Pictured with the president are actors Don Cheadle, Tobey Maguire, George Clooney, and Stacy Keibler in Los Angeles on May 11.

President Obama visited wounded warriors in the intensive care unit at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan. He had just presented a Purple Heart to Sergeant Chase Haag, who had been injured by a roadside bomb just hours earlier, and the two shared a touching moment.

In Afghanistan, there was virtually no light inside the helicopter as the president flew from Kabul back to Bagram Air Field after he met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on May 1.

It’s not all dog treats and belly rubs as the “first dog.” Bo, the Obama family dog, did his part and made a video for the Easter Egg Roll.

BONUS: The president’s favorite picture of the year. President Obama was caught by Spider-Man’s web. Spider-Man, son of a White House aide, was trick-or-treating for an early Halloween and caught the POTUS off guard.