
Pete Souza, the photographer who documented Obama's eight years in office, returned to Washington DC on Monday to follow around a very different president.

Rather than traipse after Barack and Michelle as he did so lovingly throughout his two terms, Souza followed House of Cards titans Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and Doug Stampner (Michael Kelly).

The show's fifth series will be launched on Netflix on May 30 and Souza was hired by the streaming website to drum up excitement ahead of the launch by producing the photo series which are titled 'A Day in the Life of Frank Underwood'.

The resultant images show Spacey in his unmistakable Underwood charm talking with the show's fans, in the back of a presidential limo and walking the streets of D.C.

It is not the first time the show has permeated the real world of politics. Indeed, a portrait of Spacey in the role was previously commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery which also houses every US president in history's portrait.

Speaking of their day out, Souza said: 'It was a pleasure working with Kevin and Michael and photographing them around some of D.C.’s most recognizable locations.

'Whether photographing the real President or a fictitious presidential character, it’s an exciting experience.' Below are a selection of the images from the day.

Former White House photographer for the Obama administration Pete Souza swapped real life presidents for Kevin Spacey's fictitious Frank Underwood on Tuesday ahead of the launch of the fifth series of House of Cards. He photographed Spacey along with co-star Michael Kelly who plays Underwood's shadow Chief of Staff Doug Stampner

The pair were joined by faux secret service agents for the photo shoot which took place around Washington DC on Tuesday

Souza thrust the actors into very real Washington DC haunts which included Ben's Chili Bowl

Outside, he maintained his ministerial edge as he chatted with a group of young fans

Duty called for Spacey who, maintaining his presidential character, posed for photographs with fans of the show just as a sitting president might with adoring countrymen

They were mobbed outside the White House by a group of tourists. Spacey dolled out Underwood handshakes for the crowd

A shoe shine and Starbucks set the scene for another of Souza's well-crafted images from the day

Spacey dished an unmistakably Underwood grin for the camera as the group visited the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

A group of visiting children followed them as they made their way through the tourist hot-spot. Kelly, who plays Underwood's shadowy Chief of Staff Doug Stampner, refused to break character

Spacey ditches the jacket for a more laid-back portrait while talking to some young House of Cards fans

At The Old Ebbitt Grill, a historic watering hole which has been frequented by politicos for decades, the pair took a pew at the bar

Kelly issued orders as the pair walked down Pennsylvania Avenue flanked by two in-character Secret Service agents

The real deal: Souza captured Obama's administration diligently throughout his eight years in office. Among his most iconic photographs is this one, taken in the situation room as the president and then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received updates from the Navy Seal mission to kill Osama bin Laden in 2011