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Mike & Sara Ambrose wedding in Bath

June 16, 2012
Wedding
2 Comments

I don’t get much opportunity to shoot weddings which is such a shame as I do really enjoy shooting them.  I deal with weddings in a similar way that I shoot my military work.  I like to get as much preparation time in that I can.  I don’t like shooting to a formula, but over time you get to know what shots work and which ones don’t.  As photographers we work to our strengths and one photographer is very different to another.

The wedding of Mike and Sara was given to me by a colleague as they already had a booking and to do the wedding I made the long journey from Germany, which meant that I didn’t get to meet the Bride and Groom until the day before the wedding, or go to see the venues.

I shot this wedding with a friend as my second shooter, Jim (Will) Williams, who I have worked with on a number of occasions and some of his images were simply stunning.

This wedding was a little different from any I have shot before as I was only required to shoot from the arrival at church to the start of the wedding breakfast.  In total about 4 hours which included a trip through the centre of Bath on the Jubilee weekend Saturday.  Everything went to plan and apart from the wedding car breaking down as well as the bus laid on for the guests.  The Bride and Groom were the definition of laid back which made this a pleasure.

The official images were handed over to my colleague to process so I have had the opportunity to be a little bit bolder with my own processing and I have done them in a way that is unusual for me, but then, why not?

Please feel free to look through the images and give me your feedback on them.

Herding cats and capturing character

May 13, 2012
Development, Portraits
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There is a popular phrase that we have all heard stating you should never work with children or animals, however as a photographer, you try that.  I recently came up with a promotion idea to get people into the studio, to see how we work and hopefully come away with plenty of workable images to wow the customers.

This became the ‘Pets win prizes’ competition.  The premise was for local people to bring their pets to our studio in order for us to try to capture some of their character.  The shoot was free and an image from their shoot was to be displayed on Facebook in a gallery for people to vote (like) their favorite.  The winner is the image that 7 days later has the most likes.  They then win a canvas wrap print of their pet (not necessarily the one used in the competition).

As with anything like this, the build up can be nervous as you find yourself asking the questions, like, did we promote this enough?  Will people turn up, have we explained the situation properly?  Has word got around?

I need not have worried because apart from a quiet hour at midday, the event was a success.  We got a variety of pets in from the expected cats and dogs to the more exotic Bearded Dragon and some tropical fish in a huge beer glass.

I like to put myself under pressure, and I limited each shoot to 15 minutes, which included the time to get to know the animal a little, try to find some of its character, decide on how to work with it and light it, and then execute (not the animal but the idea).  I could quite easily have set up a flat light setting and just gone for the safe option but I didn’t want a load of same images.  I wanted to be creative, to try to show off each animal as best I could in the time.

At the end of the day, I sit through the images and I have to be honest, I am happy with what we got.  There are a lovely range of shots, the customers went home happy and I now hope they like what they see.  I don’t photograph a lot of pets, so this was an ideal opportunity to try to broaden my horizons as a photographer.

As I try to complete the job, my eyes are heavy, this was a challenge but like all challenges I am left in its wake feeling content.  This is the kind of project I think I should do more often and I urge others to also.  It is all to easy for a professional photographer to focus on revenue, but there is a kind of warm feeling when you undertake a project for no obvious gain, that said I did take a couple of bookings today which is nice but certainly not what this was all about.

If you have read this blog today, could I urge you to visit our Facebook page, and visit the gallery.  Please take a little time and like any images you like.  The winning pet owner will I am sure be most grateful.  Plus there are more images from the set to see.  As with any of my work I love to hear from people, feedback is important.

Pets win Prizes!

May 5, 2012
Development, From the Archive, Opinion, Portraits
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We at LIMEfotographic have arranged a special open day at our studio on Eichholtstrasse, in Bunde, near Herford in Germany on Sunday 13th May 2012.

You love your pets, of course you do!  Have you ever considered getting a professional pet portrait done?  Well here is your chance, and you can be in with the chance to WIN a canvas frame print of your special pet.

We are opening our studio for a special pet day, so between 10am and 4pm on the 13th May, bring your pets to the studio behind the Naafi in Bunde (near Herford).  We will photograph your beloved pet.

 

HOW THIS WORKS.  This is a promotion day, we will photograph your pet in our studio for a maximum of 15 minutes per pet.  Once the images are processed they will be posted on our Facebook page for voting.  You can invite who ever you can to vote for your pet and quite simply by the closing date, announced when the images are posted, the image with the most likes, will win a stunning canvas print worth €250.

There is no obligation to purchase anything, but of course you may decide that you would like to book a family shoot or some simple portraits…………

Just pop by on the day, and don’t forget to bring your favorite pet with you.

Promotion and give away’s

May 2, 2012
Development, From the Archive, Opinion, Portraits, Wedding
2 Comments

The technical side of photography is not a problem for me.  I know that may sound big-headed, it’s not meant to be.  My photographic training was, let’s say, comprehensive.  A seven month full-time course that in wider circles is well-respected, certainly gives you a grounding.  I look back at some of the work from back then and cringe at it, but I also accept it for what it is and am still striving.

A personal first from ten years ago, the use of many layers, taking days to do and really pushing the computers boundaries.

Having been presented with the subject ‘shopping’, it made sense to mimic some of the visual inspiration of the time.  Not great work now but it was a step.

When I graduated from the school, I felt a little bit like when I had just passed my driving test.  I knew how to take a photograph but that was just the mechanics, I now had to develop that knowledge into a style, to give my images some character.  This I think is where the real challenge of photography is.

I really enjoy shooting weddings, they are challenging and never easy, so you need your wits about you.

So ten years on, my photography has developed into its current manifestation and I now think I am a marketable commodity.  This is where my next hurdle lays.  All my training does not prepare me for self promotion.  Some of you who have been reading my blog or follow my Facebook page may be surprised to hear that, or maybe not.  I have in recent months been looking into the different ways to market yourself and mostly it is now down to the internet.

In the studio, you need to work hard to get the shots you want, you can never just turn up to a shoot.

Sometimes it is a shame that many elements used in the shot are hidden.

Inspiration is important to any photographer, we draw our inspiration from other image makers all the time.

Being in Germany does kind of limit my available market somewhat but this gives me the opportunities to try out marketing plans to get an idea about what works or doesn’t.  Mostly though I just want to stay busy, producing new work.  I have in the past organised a very successful studio open day where I allowed visitors to come in off the street into the studio, sample a micro shoot, see the product and as a result took bookings for bigger shoots.  My next project is similar, but based on the pets theme.  This one will be slightly different as it will be a kind of competition where people who have their pet photographed will then see their image on our Facebook page.  This is where they vote (by liking) their pets image and they then invite their family, friends, anyone who knows them to also like their image.  The winner will receive a canvas print of the winning image.  Votes can also be included by the general public, so there will be a need to really push the Facebook page.

Sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet, a studio full of animals is a daunting thought.

The idea excites me, I am intrigued as to how the project will work out.  This does need loads of work to work, but it is just another step in the journey of building a client base and a reputation that is in this industry all important.

I don’t find self promotion easy, I find that at times I feel clumsy and awkward with it, I am always too critical of my own work, but I accept that in these times I have to get beyond that and just go for it.

A change of perspective and the search for a new presentation.

May 1, 2012
Development, Opinion
7 Comments

A change is as good as a rest, so they say.  I am leaving video behind at least for the time being and as I look to get back with my beloved stills camera, I have been trying to work in ways I do not normally.

Out came the 60mm Macro lens and on a perfect morning in England with dew sitting on the foliage I experimented.  I have shot macro before but it is not really something that a do much of, neither is the nature shot.

I was lucky also to find a couple of bugs (this now seems to be what my kids now call them), crawling around.

I have also been looking at ways to present images better than just straight edges.  A part of me is reluctant as I do feel that in many ways these presentation methods are employed too often to make mediocre images seem better than they are.  This also goes for some of the post production so many photographers seem to be using now.

The search was down to looking for ways I could present some of my Afghan work in a book or for an exhibition.  So I looked for a few choices and have so far settled on the ‘Photoframe’ software that integrates with my Adobe software so well.  I am using it on a trial basis and at this stage I think it’s important to make visual mistakes, so there are a couple of frames that I don’t think work, or I don’t like.

I hope you like the images.

Where do I go from here?

May 1, 2012
Afghanistan
2 Comments

Now I am back from Afghanistan I am hungry to work.. I have for the first time got a notebook to record ideas and concepts for personal projects.  I am amazed that this is something I have not done before because I get a lot of ideas that I then forget about.  So I have a book that I can write down ideas and concepts and include inspirational images that may have given me an idea.

An Afghan commander on a proud day as hundreds of soldier complete their basic training

I am not too sure where my Afghanistan experiences will take me.  Part of me feels that as an alien in that land I could not help but see images everywhere (sometimes I think we can get a bit blase about what we see around us every day).  Certainly the characters were plentiful.  My personal work at home is more geared towards the studio setting.  I like having the control but I now see that am able to control more in location work.  I am now the proud owner of a fairly comprehensive studio setup and I have new ideas coming out of my ears.  I just want to shoot.

A young soldier commands a vantage point as he scopes the area for signs of insurgency.

I think there is a part of me that wants to keep busy in line with the tempo I have been working for so long.  At the same time I am trying to fit back into my family that have got into their routine without me.  I have leave, too much leave but I have to take it.  This should give me the opportunity to work while keeping my feet grounded.  As my wife will agree, I do have a habit of being too focused on some things while neglecting others, something I am now aware of and do try to overcome.

Getting to know my children again is a hard reality as I have missed a huge part of their lives.

So, where do I go from here?  Photography has been a major part of my life for coming up to ten years and I just don’t see an end to that right now.  I am however fortunate to get paid for doing something I enjoy so much and find so rewarding.  I don’t have to find paying clients yet, however now is the best time to look at systems I can employ when I do.  I am fortunate that I can make business mistakes with the comfort that, for the time being at least, won’t have a negative impact on my families welfare.

Still seeing opportunity, it’s what drew me to this career.

So as I approach my photographic future, I am excited to see where I can go and just need to be bold and make the most of my situation.  I still look back at some of my Afghanistan portraits and think some of them will look good in a book as a printed record where they can be arranged as a representation of the tour.

A local Afghan watches over as his home is searched by British soldiers.

All in all there is plenty to keep me occupied for a little while but I need to make sure I push myself more creatively too.  So keep an eye out as I am sure I will be posting the odd thing on here.

A mass of faces, the new generation of the security of Afghanistan

Catching up and cooling off

April 9, 2012
Afghanistan
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Settling back in at home after six months away should not be taken lightly.  In my absence my family have learned to deal with my time away as have I.  This is no less than human nature.  There is a temptation to jump back in with both feet and just try to carry on where we all left off.  I’ve done that before…….

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I have also been keeping busy trying to sort my archive out.  There are lots of images to get organised and some catching up with processing images that kind of fell by the wayside.

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I took some images during my R+R (Rest and Recuperation) back in February.  Although I did have a quick glance, I never properly had a look.  So now back home with my own work station and newly installed Lightroom 4, I can kill two birds with one stone.  It feels so great to have internet access that works.

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These images taken during my time back home on a brief visit home (that is what it feels like), mid tour, were secondary to spending quality time.  I take my camera where ever I can (within reason).

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I had arranged a short intimate break for my wife and I to Berlin, a city I had only briefly visited once and did not make the most of it last time, we wanted to see the city, spend time together and catch up for lost time.

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So I did not take a camera bag full of my lenses, rather one body and a lonely 50mm.  A lens that I have got to know quite well.

R+R is a strange beast, you are back home, its fantastic to see your family, but its also clear that you will soon have to take that trip back to Afghanistan sooner than you think!

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You never properly relax.  It’s a rest, certainly, but you are not really home yet.

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Anyway I wasn’t carting all my gear around focusing on the images, but I grabbed a few on the way!

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These are a small selection.  I hope you like them.  They are a world away from the shots from Afghanistan. Now I am back, I am starting to put that chapter behind me, however life in the military is never really predictable, so you never know, I may end up going back out there again in the future, or somewhere else. I look back at my images and feel the strangest feeling of nostalgia, you never really expect to feel while you are out there.  The people you have met, the things you have seen, experiences few may have.  I am proud, my family are proud.  Everyone is happy that I was fortunate to come home in one unharmed.

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So to conclude, spare a thought for the ones who don’t, their families who have to pick up the pieces. all I can do now is look forward to what the future holds from now.

Thanks for visiting.

Those left behind

April 1, 2012
Afghanistan
2 Comments

Back home with my family after being away for such a long time is a relief.  I certainly cannot say I am not glad to be home but at the same time I am sad.  You go through so much with people that start off as strangers, many will become strangers again so soon.

Those soldiers serving their country do get a lot of recognition for their sacrifice but that will never be enough.  I have an understanding of the sacrifices that those left behind make.  I am of course referring to the families, the husbands, wives and children.

When we are serving away, the soldier lives a basic existence much of the time, but the mentality is to just ‘crack on’.  Something that works very well, although some find it easier than others.

My wife told me how she woke up in the middle of the night thinking she had heard the door bell.  Sweating, feeling sick she went to the door scared about what it might be.  She was petrified that she was getting the notification.  As it turned out there was no-one there, but that does not matter as I have an understanding now just how tough it is on loved ones left behind.  These fears are too real and a great many people do get those home visits.

I don’t know how they stay so strong, I suppose its necessity.  I am sure some partners can go close too madness.

So next time you consider those servicemen serving, spare a thought also for their families who go through their own kind of personal hell.

Saving Private Ryan?

March 14, 2012
Afghanistan
9 Comments

This Steven Spielberg film “Saving Private Ryan”, is widely regarded as one of the best ‘war’ films ever made.  Visually stunning and emotionally gripping it is a modern take on an event that is now sadly beyond most of our memories.  One of the most memorable scenes for me is the opening, the assault on beach.  The mood felt tangible.  Was this what it was like?  The scared to death soldiers vomiting through fear as they head towards a heavily entrenched enemy.  I imagine there were plenty of instances of this.

Of course you cannot draw too many similarities between WW2 and what is in comparison almost a skirmish in Afghanistan (not to belittle the threats on the ground of our our soldiers).  That said, for our guys on the ground it is immaterial as we all live our own experiences which don’t really ever draw reference from other’s experiences.

I recently went out to photograph a ‘HAF’, a Helicopter Assault Force with the Brigade Recce Force.  I am not what you would call a fighter, not battle hardened, I do, however, go out on patrol with many of the guys and consider myself to have been  very ‘lucky’ so far.  This was the first time on this operation (I have done similar things in Iraq) that I moved into what is perceived as a hostile area by helicopter, to be dropped off in the middle of a field to then watch our transport quickly vacate.

What were the feelings like?  Although only a couple of weeks have past now, those feelings are fading fast.  The night before was a night without much (or any) sleep.  I won’t lie, I was, you could say, a ‘tad’ apprehensive to say the least.  These are normal feelings that I have felt on quite a few occasions.  Adrenalin is good for you and keeps you alert.

We met up at early o’clock for tea (the staple drink) and a ‘bacon butty’, which we forced down.  The operation was planned to enter an area believed to be an insurgent held area by helicopter, together with elements of the Afghan National Army, clear suspected enemy compounds and then extract all in time for lunch.

There was an atmosphere over the butties, one I have experienced before and no doubt will again.  It was one of focus, bravado, morale, humour.  The old ‘squaddie’ humour, though unique is very welcome.  The coaches laid on to get us all to the helicopter were a squeeze as we were laden like donkeys with all we would need for the operation.  The nervous laughter as each soldier tries and almost fails to find passage through the narrow aisle.

Waiting in the dark for our charriots, three Chinook helicopters with their distinct audio signature, line up ready to load.  We wait in our order to cram in.  On the order to move we all get in and sit.  There is no strapping in here.  Just sit, wherever you can, lucky if you get a seat.  As a photographer I push the camera towards its limits to get an image, any image.

As we fly, the lights inside the cab are extinguished, the noise stops vocal communication and briefings come in the form of simple hand signals.  10 minutes, 5 minutes, 3, 2, 1!  We land in the early morning dull light, GO!  Quickly the helicopter spews its cargo into the middle of a mud field.  ‘Fan out’, I know the shot I need, so move as quickly as I can to get into position before the helicopter takes off again.

Its still pretty dark, so I have to think quickly about exposure.  It keeps my mind occupied.  I still want to give some sense to how dull it is.

All too soon our transport has gone and all that remains is silence exacerbated by our ear defence.   Then we wait………………………..in another bloody ditch!

Before long we move from compound to compound, we meet locals, chat, drink chai (Afghan tea), move again, more chat, more chai.  All the time alert.

Exploring a compound looking for vantage points over the neighbours and there is always an opportunity for a photograph.  Some of these places are so dark it is a constant battle with exposures.  Challenging but rewarding.

After meeting up with our Afghan colleagues it soon becomes apparent that by turning up in such numbers and prepared to fight a common enemy, the insurgents have employed their only real tactic in these situations and have melted into the community.  There is obvious frustration in this but there have been finds of weapons and no lives lost.

Before long its time to make our way to the pick up point and all the soldiers involved in this operation gather in their groups in the middle of a field awaiting once again our chariots.

As quickly as the disembark, we are all back in the Chinook and soon back to our temporary home, as we say in the military, back in time for tea and medals.  As I look back, I don’t really think I can say I enjoyed the operation but I certainly cannot say I hated it either.  I am glad I went, saw these guys operate and I am certainly glad that this time at least we all came back.

These images were all taken during the operation, some under quite difficult lighting conditions.  This is what I enjoy doing so much that I feel so fortunate to be able to.  I know how lucky I am to have these opportunities even though they come with a huge sacrifice to my family, I know I have their support, which means so much to me.  I hope you like the images.

It’s all about the people

March 11, 2012
Afghanistan
8 Comments

Afghanistan is a country with a long and difficult history, like many other nations, including our own (the United Kingdom).  Freedom comes at a cost and sacrifices unfortunately need to be made. On a basic level its just that people desire a simple life, they have few needs, but they crave a safe place to live to let their children grow up.

The Afghans are no different to us in this respect, but they are of course different culturally.  Yes this is a Muslim country but yet the culture is very different to that of Iraq which is also Muslim. There is almost always a pride in any nation or culture and this place is no different.  People are people wherever you go.  They sleep, eat (although diets vary), socialise, crap, laugh, cry and dream  Fundamentally they are the same as you or I.

Afghanistan will manage itself, it has to and it is naive to think that they don’t already, but their cultural make up is very different to ours.  They manage themselves on a much more intimate level, where each village is an entity separate from other villages around them. Here in Helmand, the people don’t really care what is going on in Kabul, they have no desire to own a 50 inch plasma TV, almost all of them don’t even own a TV, few have radios or a car.

This is not a wealthy place in our terms yet is described as the bread basket of Afghanistan for its mineral rich soil. They will grow what they can sell here, poppy or wheat, what ever will help them feed their families.  We would be no different I am sure.  Should they really care what the west thinks they should grow? Existence here is tough, unbearably hot in the summer and freezing and wet in the winter.

This is a country of extremes. ISAF can not be here for ever, the government knows that, the people do too and the transition is moving on full speed towards a comprehensive security cover by its own forces.  When the security forces are left to deal with any problems themselves which I am sure they will do, I have no doubt that they will manage.  There will be hardships, but transition is a necessary step to grasp their own future. Only Afghanistan can ultimately choose its own path.

I wanted these images to show humanity, mood, character and highlight that upbringing notwithstanding we are the same.  I don’t speak any Pashtun or Dari (the two main languages spoken here in Helmand), and as a photographer I like to communicate with people, to direct a little for light and composition (at times), this was quite hard initially and to be honest I found the Afghans play up to the camera a bit and pose with ridiculous expressions.  I have over the weeks developed a basic sign language to try to direct them a tiny bit at least. A funny thing happened the other day when I was out photographing some local Afghans during an operation, I had been out a while and was tired and saw this young guy who I wanted to photograph, he was back lit (a look I really don’t mind), so I got the shot.  After I showed him the image he gestured to me to take another, he pointed at the sun and changed his position relative to the sun.  This was not something I thought I would have been able to get across in my basic sign language.  I did prefer the second shot though!

Is the photographic industry dead or dying?

March 5, 2012
Opinion
2 Comments

I am a professional photographer, that simply means I get paid to take photographs. This is my livelihood and not just a fun pass time (I know how lucky I am to enjoy what I do for a living). I am aware of the things that are said and done on the internet and the speed with which this industry is changing.

As anyone in this industry its hard to be truly objective about its development as anything I will say could be seen as sour grapes. On a positive note, digital photography has made photography accessible to anyone, which is a good thing, right? This means that the numbers of people with a ‘decent’ camera, clicking away has gone exponential. Even IPhone’s are regarded as excellent at gathering the image. You even have Pro’s shooting weddings with one!

Now I am not a photography snob (at least I don’t think I am), photography is not about your kit or equipment, its all about seeing the potential of an image before you take it and using your skill to capture it, however I do worry about perception with the public (clients) and more and more with people within the industry. Weddings are now being shot by Pro’s with the iphone 4, which is great for iphone and I am sure that a skilled operator does it justice. The problem is that every man and his dog has an iphone though and the perception ‘could’ be that anyone can now do a professional job with one. Not true. There will however be an issue with costs as you can get one of these cameras free on a contract and other photographers have over ten thousand pounds worth of kit, both pitching for the same wedding, there will be a massive range of costs, so where will this lead. Not having an iphone (for now), I really don’t know just how adept they are, my understanding is that you get app’s to re-work the images. This to me is like using a filter in Photoshop to give your images a ‘look’. In essence you use a filter to make ‘ordinary’ images stand out. This is only my opinion.

Where does that leave the industry? Well only time will tell, but one thing that gives me a degree of hope is that more and more clients are beginning to seek references from a photographer prior to booking, could this be down to the client now understanding that its the person that makes the image and not the camera? Is this knowledge borne from the experience of having a ‘good’ camera and wondering why they can not get the quality of image they expected by pointing it and shooting? Could this finally be the bubble of an over saturated market about to burst and the beginning of the rediscovery and homage to the skill of the photographer?

This is not intended to be an elitist subject, because these developments have brought some very talented people into an industry that was largely inaccessible before, but a statement about how an unregulated industry is seen by many as being in the dying twitches. Could we be seeing the dawn of a new era? Discuss. 

What is bravery?

February 28, 2012
Afghanistan
5 Comments

As I sit here getting ever closer to the end of my latest tour of duty, I contemplate the mind set of the British soldier.  This may or may not be one of the most dangerous places on the planet, probably not but it is still dangerous.  It makes me wonder exactly what bravery is.

Is it simply brave to just be here?  Is it brave to step outside the wire?  Is it brave to fly those flying chariots that are our primary mode of transport here?  Is it brave to don all of your PPE (Personal protective equipment)?  Is it brave to poke your head up over a wall in the middle of Helmand?

 

I am not sure.  These are the day to day experiences of some of the soldiers out here in Afghanistan.  Although you feel trepidation prior to any of the above, when you get there, you just go, do your business and the training takes over.  You are so busy looking, thinking, observing, watching, you don’t really have the time to be worried.  We don’t constantly worry about every step, or that it could be your last.

 

I certainly don’t feel brave when in the relative safety of Camp Bastion.  I don’t feel ‘brave’ when I go out on patrol, I don’t feel ‘brave’ when I fly in the Merlin or Chinook and I certainly don’t feel brave wrapped up in my PPE (only bloody heavy).

So what is brave?

I had the good fortune this week to photograph a soldier who had been lucky.  He had been shot by an insurgent, whilst on patrol in Helmand.  Luckily for him he was saved by his body armour, the round embedding into his back plate.

Armed with what remains of the round, we were tasked to get some photographs of Trooper Dan Griffiths for the UK press, I asked him how he felt.  He told me that he ‘worried’ now.  During the incident he was knocked down with such force that he truly believed he was seriously injured.  He admitted to screaming in pain, clambering for cover.  Only when checked over by his comrade was he then aware he had escaped injury and just how lucky he was.  Dan is now one of the few who knows what it feels like to be shot and I am sure it is not an experience he would like to repeat, yet he still has to endure, he still has patrols to go on, operations to take part in, be part of a team.

Simply put, in light of his experiences, in my eyes, Trooper Griffiths is brave.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/campaigns/our_boys/4156468/Squaddie-shot-in-the-back-but-battles-on.html

Failed Amphibious Assault

February 20, 2012
Afghanistan
1 Comment

Any of you who know me on Facebook will no doubt have been made aware by my oh so generous colleagues that I was involved in a rather unfortunate incident.

Those of you who may have been out here before will know that when it rains, it can rain hard.  Not that this happens too often, but when it does, this place (Bastion) can flood, and flood fast.  After being here for several years there has been quite a bit of development with a decent (relatively speaking) road network and huge drainage ditches.

Sounds great, but the problem is that when the big rain comes, it can quickly fill the ditches, and when it does in places the road disappears.

So driving through Bastion at night, in the rain claimed another victim……….me!

Laden with kit, driving back to the office, one of the roads was swallowed by a flood.  Initially it just looked like a patch but once in, it just seemed to get deeper.  Probably only 3 inches deep,  I slowed down, dropped gear to keep the revs up and tried to pick the route, but with no visible markers for the drainage ditches, once the minibus found the edge, it had me.

Evacuating the vehicle was interesting.  Pretty soon we were all up to our groins in the water.  And from there the good old military banter begins.

One thing I have learnt is that the ‘taking the piss’ is never not going to happen, so you have no choice but to laugh along.

So there we have it, I am a little red faced, I have added that little bit of morale to the team but the reality for me is that at least no-one was hurt and if this is the worst that happens to me on this tour, I will be happy.

Cari-CAT-ure and the Cat.

January 13, 2012
Portraits
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Playing with a ring flash, the opportunity arose to take some wide angle portraits which is not something I usually do.  By going extreme, the portraits became a caricature especially with this motley crew.

Also took the opportunity to photograph the cat, only because it is too fat to run away.

Afghan elder in Natural light

January 9, 2012
Afghanistan, Portraits
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My main goal for this tour aside from my primary video role has been to put together a selection of portrait images, in the hope that I could arrange a small exhibition of portraits at a local art fayre.  I will be adding another blog entry near the end of the tour displaying some of my own personal favourites.  In the meantime I wanted to share this one.

An Afghan elder and the pace of life

Whilst working on some footage for an Afghan Air Force open day at Kandahar, I saw this elder, who had arrived early with some young children.  He promptly sat in a hangar doorway waiting with his worry beads.  He was just waiting patiently when I got this picture.  Taken on the trusty old manual 50mm lens (some people are getting bored hearing about), I wanted to concentrate on his face.  The lines are like a text, telling his life story and similar in many ways to so many other locals.  There people have endured so much in their lifetime and their lives are tough by our standards.

Simply processed in Lightroom, it does not need much more.

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Father, Son and the Tank.

January 4, 2012
From the Archive
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As we wait for our next assignment, I get the chance to look through some of my old archives (I only have a small portion of them out here).  The reason I brought these out was to look at creating a private coffee table book from the Iraq tour.

Some of you will have seen this on the home page of my website http://www.LIMEfotographic.com and the reason for that is that this image is personally my favourite image taken on my Iraq tour.  It was taken on an operation with the Scots Guards north of Basrah, where we went to assist on some Civic assistance providing some infrastructure maintenance in preparation for the winter months.  These marsh people were persecuted by the Hussain government and were openly friendly towards us, they were not threatened by our presence and in fact seemed to feel comfortable around us.  This image is an illustration of this with a father and son simply walking at ease towards one of our Warrior tanks.  When you consider what hardships these people had to endure at the hands of Saddam, the fact that they could differentiate between the army of that regime and ours was outstanding.  To see the way these people lived so close to a major city like Basrah which before the war was fairly modern, was indeed a contrast.

This image probably means more to me than it will anyone else, but like many images, the personal connection is what identifies the narrative.  I don’t know if this is a great image or not and a part of me does not care, this image means something to me and really that is all that matters.

Like many of us Army photographers, we have been criticised for making pictures that are too clean, well composed, too perfect and somehow missing the shot.  I think this may be true because if you look at some of the most well known press images, the ones that have become totally iconic are usually little more than snaps, however they capture something, usually raw emotive content, that compositional quantity overlooked by many photographers.  Sometimes this can be a harsh commentary as when trained to look for composition and create images you generally get to a point where you can not take a photo without slipping into one composition guide or another.  The composing of an image just becomes automatic.

 

Face to face, a connection

December 31, 2011
From the Archive
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This is one of my personal favourite shots from my tour of Iraq in 2007-2008.  I know the colour popping is not to everyone’s taste and is not something I tend to do much of, but this moment was one of intensity and connection that I felt I had to do something to separate them from the background, from everything that was going on around them.  This situation was played out in a small village just outside of Basra and it was usual for numerous kids to come right up to you, into your personal space and beg for sweets or water, or even just grab at anything hanging off your body armour.  In this instance this boy just stopped and looked up at the young soldier.  For a moment they just looked at each other and connected in some way.

This image sat in my portfolio submission for Operational photography in the 2008 Army photographic competition and is still an image that I enjoy.

The Afghan National Army

December 30, 2011
Afghanistan
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Our latest mission has been to go out with the Afghan National Army (ANA), to film and photograph them, as the ‘defining moment of operation Herrick 15’ would be their first major operation planned and executed by themselves to clear an area of Helmand from the influences of the insurgents.

Being the video guy, my job was to film them from the orders through the patrol phase, to watch them as they took over compounds and created, from scratch, their Check points in an area that insurgents had been deeply embedded in.

Say what you will about the ANA, they may lack an element of our professionalism, skill or ability, but when you consider that they are poorly paid, receive only a fraction of the training we get, are nowhere near equipped (by our standards), they do a fantastic job and in light of all this they are beyond doubt very brave indeed.

During this operation, they moved with all they needed to sleep rough across difficult terrain in freezing temperatures, which was tough indeed.  They don’t get issued the warm or wet kit that we all get issued, and yet they just continue to work. The Afghans seem to work without complaint, they know what they need to do and they have a resolve to do what they need to, in order to rid their country of the enemy.

The ANA is a fledgling army, already growing to the required numbers, they know they have a tough job and continue to do their best to get it done, and they are proud.

Regardless of any shortcomings, I tip my hat to the Afghan braves and only hope that they gain the popular support of their countrymen because they above all deserve it and with it can begin to make the giant step towards peace, the likes of which has not been seen in this part of the world for decades.

These soldiers are going to be a big part of this countries future and every journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

Good luck.

Les & Natalie

December 14, 2011
Wedding
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This gallery contains 13 photos.

A small selection of images taken from the wedding of Les & Natalie Simmons, who married in Bournemouth, UK. A blustery start to the day on the British south coast. As with all weddings, opportunities always present themselves for the cute shots. The dress detail is a must do shot. Loads of natural light and …

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The Michael Jackson effect and the journey to security

December 3, 2011
Afghanistan
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There can be little doubt that Afghanistan is a developing country.  Forty years ago it was considered an extremely forward thinking Muslim nation and quite liberal with it.  Not that you would believe that if you saw it today.  Prolonged conflict will do that to a country.

Are things changing?  Well things are always changing, so that is a given, the question is though, is it changing for the better?  The only people that can answer that are the Afghans themselves, so I won’t start.  However they are certainly taking charge in their own security.  If you measure ‘better’ by improving civil rights and education, then yes it is improving but it is still a dangerous place to grow up.

Having had the opportunity to observe a pass off parade in Helmand where 1400 newly trained soldiers formed up, I was not surprised to recognise many aspects.  Being a serving soldier I still remember what I felt like on the day I passed off the square.  You have been thrust together with strangers into an environment that tests you, trains you and as best it can prepares you for what comes next.  Yes there is a lot to learn, yes it is physically hard at times, yes at times you wonder how much of it is really necessary, but on this day, it all pails to insignificance as the pride of your achievement takes control.

Being a soldier in the Afghanistan Army, is nothing like being a British soldier, the equipment is different, the circumstances are different, the opportunities are different, but effectively the job is the same.  They are charged with the responsibility to protect and defend a nation.  Their nation.

In the case of Afghanistan, this is no easy task, but it not been easy for forty years, and it won’t get any easier over night.  A fledgling Army has to get up to strength, meet the challenges ahead and gain popular support, which it is doing.  They are gradually beginning to take over areas from ISAF (International Security Assistance Force).  They may not be able to operate the same way as their ISAF counterparts, but as they can communicate with the local population in a way ISAF cannot, you could argue that they will have greater effect.  The local population will, after all, be the ones to decide where the nation is going.

Afghanistan is a large multicultural nation which has had a past with the Soviets, so it is unsurprising that elements of the Soviet drill are practiced.  The Soviet drill that was witnessed all over the world beamed from Red Square during the height of the ‘Cold War’, was nothing if not impressive and imposing.  Stamping feet, swinging arms, heads help high, this is definitely not a simple march and at times timing was lost, but in the scheme of things, an ability to march in step all the time is possibly not of primary importance.

As a soldier over here, we try to find humour in that around us and I had a chuckle to myself with the marching.  When it was good, it was impressive (as is the intent), but at times as I photographed it I found myself thinking that it looked like a rehearsal for a Michael Jackson music video.  The the influence of the self appointed ‘King of Pop’, has reached far indeed.

An Afghan parade holds very little similarities with a British one, this is not intended as a criticism as the Afghans are not British, nor I am sure, do they wish to be.  They follow their own cultural paths and do their best too.  There were times during the parade where the soldiers sang, and not just to their national anthem.  When they sing, they sing with passion, even if the National anthem is played over the PA system from a mobile phone.

My overall impression from witnessing this spectacle was they are a proud people that really love their country and they believe in themselves.  When they have all that what can stop them?

It will be a long journey but a journey that Afghanistan has to take for its own future and now there are an additional 1400 soldiers to help.