This article was originally published by Archivo Photofile in July 2024. It traces the complex relationship between photographic intelligence gathering and the evolving landscape of the United States national security state. The narrative unfolds from a historical perspective, beginning with Cold War photoreconnaissance operations. The geopolitical impact of these photographic technologies is addressed as well as their effect on the trajectory of the intelligence and national security apparatus. The classified status of images generated by aircraft and satellite camera systems means that they are only for certain viewers within the military and intelligence communities. Borrowing from Peter Dale Scott’s notion of deep politics, the essay concludes by defining and expanding on my concept of “deep photography,” photographic images that are inaccessible to the public and captured as part of covert operations that occur beyond conventional, visible political processes.