Fixing the war
viaduckrabbit
Category: War
Tyler Hicks: A Decade in Afghanistan
There are places and times where the politics that drive wars fade and then fade more, becoming abstractions to the people who fight or who are in a fight’s way. And there are moments when politics entirely disappear, and more elemental actions and emotions replace them.
These are the seams and the instants that Tyler Hicks has sought, and repeatedly found, in his decade photographing the latest Afghan war.
Hell and Back Again
As the Afghan war neared a decade’s worth of combat, casualties and headlines, the photographer and filmmaker Danfung Dennis was looking to jolt people’s consciousness.
“I was frustrated with photojournalism, and I was frustrated with society back in the U.S. being indifferent to the war,” said Mr. Dennis, who had covered Afghanistan as a still photographer in 2006. “I moved into video and new media to try to shake people up — to show the war’s brutal reality in an honest way.”
Adam Ferguson: War Is Boring
In this affecting and thought-provoking piece, photojournalist Adam Ferguson gives us an unedited account of his work as a combat photographer, and shares his feelings about the troops, war photography, Afghanistan, and combat in general.
War Is Boring
In this very personal story Adam Ferguson gives us an unedited account of what it is like to be a combat photographer. He openly discusses what his feelings are about the troops, war photography, Afghanistan, and combat in general.
War Photographers' Retreat: August In Massachusetts
A retreat for photojournalists whose work takes them to wars, conflicts, and disasters. In honor of Tim Hetherington.
Christopher Morris, ‘Shut up, stop thinking for yourself and kneel before the almighty war photographer’s pictures’. Rafiqui., ‘Err, maybe not tonight Chris’.
The VII photographer Christopher Morris has responded to my post ‘The War Photographers biggest story: themselves‘, which I published a few days ago, and which seems to have hit a nerve.
I’m posting his comment in full below as well as a response from Asim Rafiqui, who recieved The Aftermath grant in 2009.
The war photographer’s biggest story: themselves
Is the ‘best’ story a war photographer can provide these days – the one that will get the most space – themselves? Not just any photographer though. They need to be western and preferably English speaking. And not just any story. They need to be kidnapped, shot, sexually abused or blown up. If they want to hit the chat shows they also need to be a survivor.
Link: The war photographer’s biggest story: themselves | duckrabbit – we produce photofilms
Theater of War: Inside Gaddafi’s Libya
From February 26th to April 7th, 2011, Moises Saman, on assignment for The New York Times, was one of the few western photographers allowed to work in Tripoli—as a “guest” of the Gaddafi regime.
Meditation On The Death Of A Hero
As we walked the streets, I noticed a certain type of photographer that stood in contrast to the sophisticated, mature practioners like Tim or our other luncheon mates, John Stanmeyer, Ami Vitale, David Strick, Jack Picone and others. It seemed to me this group was like a pack of roving jackals. There was a certain aggressive energy, wildness and a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done. This subset of photographers spoke about wanting to change the world, but their words sounded somewhat disingenuous. They wanted the thrill of danger, the clarity that comes when Life faces Death; the hunt, the kill. Their giant cameras slung around their necks while strolling around the peaceful streets of this French city were like bazookas, and shooting was an act of aggression for them.