Photo by Lisa Jack

In 1980, in what can only be described as fortuitous, Occidental College undergrad Lisa Jack photographed a freshman named Barry Obama for a portrait project. It’s now nearly 30 years later, Barry is President of the United States Barack Obama, and the collection is being shown at M+B gallery in West Hollywood.

The exhibit – showing Obama in a fedora, smoking a cigarette, looking smooth – marks the first time the collection is on display (they were featured as part of Time Magazine’s 2008 “Person of the Year” issue). The gallery describes the set as taken during the future president’s soul-searching period. Or soulful period?

“Barack Obama: The Freshman” is at M+B through August 29.