"Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics." - American photojournalist Teru Kuwayama
Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved
Teru Kuwayama, a photographer who has covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hotspots for Time, Newsweek and Outside was recently queried about life in a conflict zone by Gizmodo.com. Mr. Kuwayama's answers are forthright and honest so if you ever wondered how war photographers survive out there, you'll be interested in what Kuwayama has to say.
As many photography enthusiasts are aware, Teru Kuwayama is also the co-founder (with his brother) of Lightstalkers, a popular non-profit photography website with over 30,000 members comprised of photo buffs, journalists, travelers and seemingly everyone else.
It's also important to note that Teru Kuywayama and New York Times photojournalist Lynsey Addario were badly injured in Pakistan in May 2009 in an automobile accident that tragically claimed the life of their "fixer" Raza Khan.
START
Among military planners, there's an aphorism that states: "Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics." The daily mechanics of photographing in a "war zone" don't have much to do with photography, mostly it's about getting from point A to point B without getting your head cut off, then finding a signal and an outlet. I'm probably not the right person to be give advice on war photography, since I don't even count myself as a war photographer but for one reason or another, I've spent the better part of the last decade in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
I was a young photographer when these wars began. I'm not anymore, and from all indications, the "long war" is just getting started. For what it's worth, here's some advice for first timers heading out to the badlands.
Wear Your Seat Belt
I get questions on a daily basis from journalists heading for Afghanistan most of them are about body armor but it's the traffic that's most likely to kill you. The stretch of Islamist insurgency that arcs from Southern Philippines to Somalia hasn't produced exceptional snipers, but it's home to some of the most lethal drivers on Earth. On my last trip to Pakistan, I flipped a car four times within 72 hours of arrival. My bulletproof vest is still wrapped in plastic somewhere in Islamabad.
PLEASE CONTINUE READING
Please continue reading about how to shoot in a war zone by Teru Kuwayama….
and if you are a photographer thinking about going to Afghanistan please read the 2009 Afghanistan Security Report…..
as well as Tips For "Gearing Up" In A Conflict Zone.
After doing your research, you might want to heed the advice of well-respected New Orleans photographer Andy Levin, who implores,
"Don’t go […] it's not glamorous, it's not fun."
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
Photo © John Brown All Rights Reserved
Teru Kuwayama, a photographer who has covered conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hotspots for Time, Newsweek and Outside was recently queried about life in a conflict zone by Gizmodo.com. Mr. Kuwayama's answers are forthright and honest so if you ever wondered how war photographers survive out there, you'll be interested in what Kuwayama has to say.
As many photography enthusiasts are aware, Teru Kuwayama is also the co-founder (with his brother) of Lightstalkers, a popular non-profit photography website with over 30,000 members comprised of photo buffs, journalists, travelers and seemingly everyone else.
It's also important to note that Teru Kuywayama and New York Times photojournalist Lynsey Addario were badly injured in Pakistan in May 2009 in an automobile accident that tragically claimed the life of their "fixer" Raza Khan.
START
Among military planners, there's an aphorism that states: "Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics." The daily mechanics of photographing in a "war zone" don't have much to do with photography, mostly it's about getting from point A to point B without getting your head cut off, then finding a signal and an outlet. I'm probably not the right person to be give advice on war photography, since I don't even count myself as a war photographer but for one reason or another, I've spent the better part of the last decade in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
I was a young photographer when these wars began. I'm not anymore, and from all indications, the "long war" is just getting started. For what it's worth, here's some advice for first timers heading out to the badlands.
Wear Your Seat Belt
I get questions on a daily basis from journalists heading for Afghanistan most of them are about body armor but it's the traffic that's most likely to kill you. The stretch of Islamist insurgency that arcs from Southern Philippines to Somalia hasn't produced exceptional snipers, but it's home to some of the most lethal drivers on Earth. On my last trip to Pakistan, I flipped a car four times within 72 hours of arrival. My bulletproof vest is still wrapped in plastic somewhere in Islamabad.
PLEASE CONTINUE READING
Please continue reading about how to shoot in a war zone by Teru Kuwayama….
and if you are a photographer thinking about going to Afghanistan please read the 2009 Afghanistan Security Report…..
as well as Tips For "Gearing Up" In A Conflict Zone.
After doing your research, you might want to heed the advice of well-respected New Orleans photographer Andy Levin, who implores,
"Don’t go […] it's not glamorous, it's not fun."
John Brown Photojournalist On LIGHTSTALKERS
My Mondo Library Photography
My Photoshelter Photography Archive Homepage
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