WASHINGTON, US (AFP) — The White House yesterday released a photo of President Barack Obama skeet-shooting, in an apparent bid to allay concerns among gun-owners that he is opposed to any and all firearms.

Obama hits the road on Monday to push his plan to cut gun violence, which has become a centerpiece of his second term agenda after America was traumatized by the massacre of 20 children and six adults at a school in Newtown, Connecticut in December.

But his measures — both proposed legislation and executive orders — face stiff opposition from the firearms lobby, as well as from politicians and Americans who contend they will infringe upon the constitutional right to bear arms.

In recent days, Obama has made efforts to show, despite his efforts to stem rampant firearms violence, he is not a stranger to sports shooting.

The newly released photo, taken on August 4th at the president's Camp David retreat in Maryland, shows Obama firing at clay targets, according to the caption.

The president, wearing safety goggles and protective headphones, holds a rifle to his shoulder as smoke spews out of the barrel.

The image supports Obama's remark in a recent interview in The New Republic magazine that he is fond of skeet-shooting while at Camp David — a claim that had met with some skepticism from conservative pundits on US news media, who demanded proof.