Afghan - How the other half live

Arkady

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Rob
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Lashkar Gah Prison - most of these compounds will now be levelled to make way for new facilities, but these 'cells' have been in use just as you see here since the Soviets left...

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Now I have to be honest - even though there's human excrement everywhere, rotting food, refuse of every kind - it still doesn't smell as bad as Basrah in Iraq...lol

These primitive living conditions are about the same as most rural family compounds we come across when out patrolling - the only difference here is that it's surrounded by a Soviet-built wall and watchtowers with machine-guns...
 
superb shots Rob ....the last one brings it home:clap:
 
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Compelling images beautifully shot. Are there citizens still living in these cells?

Hope your doing well out there.

Vicky.
 
The prisoners were living there until yesterday - they're now in the new wing - these compounds will be levelled to make way for the final phase of redevelopment...paid for by us of course - the Afghan authorities didn't see anything wrong with these conditions - mostly because that's how they live on the outside...
 
Interesting shots mate, what is that stuff in the 3rd photo?
 
Fascinating shots and a bit of an eye opener too. If that's the "normal" standard then it's no wonder so many want to get out and come over here! Anybody with any sense at all would want out of a dung heap like that.
 
Jesus Rob, what a hellhole.

BTW, at the risk of drifting off Afghanistan I have just read an article about an interview with Cpl. Ian Forsyth (Army photographer with the RLC) - "Capturing the Front Line". It's all Iraq.
Their is an MoD url giving a link to the article, but it does not work.
If you have not read it I can send it out.
 
Interesting shots mate, what is that stuff in the 3rd photo?

Dried pitta bread - their rations are pretty basic...
Looks a bit different to the stuff from Tesco as it's baked in clay ovens here...

Tasty though...we send someone out to buy some for the cookhouse every day...
 
Jesus Rob, what a hellhole.

BTW, at the risk of drifting off Afghanistan I have just read an article about an interview with Cpl. Ian Forsyth (Army photographer with the RLC) - "Capturing the Front Line". It's all Iraq.
Their is an MoD url giving a link to the article, but it does not work.
If you have not read it I can send it out.


No it's OK - I know Ian and he's a good bloke - we really ripped the 'P' out of him for that article...lol
 
The last shot is great - is he ANP?

The Afghan people have this look about them - the kids always look so photogenic as do a lot of the adults, great subjects....

What sort of prisioners did they house there - Talibs?

That stuff in the 3rd shot looks like bread.....
 
Very impressive photos from what seems to be a complete different world.
The colours are great. Looking forward to see more from you.
 
Fascinating shots Rob and thanks for sharing ,it really makes you think when you see shots like this .Loook forward to more shots and you take care of yourself.
 
love the last pic.

really need to give the afghan army some decent uniform.
 
Great images. Very thought provoking. Keep safe and keep up the good work.
 
Dried pitta bread - their rations are pretty basic...
Looks a bit different to the stuff from Tesco as it's baked in clay ovens here...

Tasty though...we send someone out to buy some for the cookhouse every day...

I was just wondering what that was....:D

Odd choice of pictures mind, buses and are they looking to buy a house....not sure what to make of this :cautious: :cautious: and that's not a peacock is it.

Some interesting images(y)
 
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Very moving images! (y)
 
Great pics - very interesting - are you working to a brief all the time - or do you get to shoot your own thing - some of the time at least?
 
I kind of work to a brief - we had a couple of VIP visitors on Saturday - the news just broke today after a 48-hr embargo and of course I had to follow them round and get pix in the most cramped offices imaginable - not really my thing, but you do what you can...

On other jobs I get pretty much free rein to get what imagery I can and I decide what to take or not depending on the situation...obviously I fulfil the brief, but beyond that - the brief for the Prison shoot was to document the living conditions, but I wanted a shot of the guard so went up the tower while everyone else waited down below - "I need a panoramic of the whole compound, Boss!" - yeah, right...lol
 
Hi Arkady
Thank's for the insight.
Different world there.
Photo opps look tremendous.

Do do any "shooting" (photo wise) when things kick-off ?
 
I kind of work to a brief - we had a couple of VIP visitors on Saturday - the news just broke today after a 48-hr embargo and of course I had to follow them round and get pix in the most cramped offices imaginable - not really my thing, but you do what you can...

On other jobs I get pretty much free rein to get what imagery I can and I decide what to take or not depending on the situation...obviously I fulfil the brief, but beyond that - the brief for the Prison shoot was to document the living conditions, but I wanted a shot of the guard so went up the tower while everyone else waited down below - "I need a panoramic of the whole compound, Boss!" - yeah, right...lol

Re the shot of the guard, Rob.
That one intrigued me.
From the pics that appear on TV from time to time it struck me that that guy does not look a whole lot different from the enemy.
Is it a problem knowing who is who over there?
 
Its a different world. Great shots.
 
Re the shot of the guard, Rob.
That one intrigued me.
From the pics that appear on TV from time to time it struck me that that guy does not look a whole lot different from the enemy.
Is it a problem knowing who is who over there?

Not really - if they shoot at us we shoot back - seemples...
Besides he's in uniform, the opposition aren't...
 
Hi Arkady
Thank's for the insight.
Different world there.
Photo opps look tremendous.

Do do any "shooting" (photo wise) when things kick-off ?

My 'Actions-On' are to take photos...end-of...despite what the bosses sometimes think - the Army pays me to document the conflict, not get involved in gunfights...
We carry rifles on jobs 'outside the wire' and are epected to defend ourselves, but TBH if I have to open fire, it's because everyone else is already dead...
 
the Afghan authorities didn't see anything wrong with these conditions - mostly because that's how they live on the outside...

Does that mean they'll all be trying to get some jail time in if conditions are better than at home?;)
 
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Maybe if our prisons were like that the lags might not want to return as quick as they do? This would be a lot better for us the ones who get robbed! ;)
 
Maybe if our prisons were like that the lags might not want to return as quick as they do? This would be a lot better for us the ones who get robbed! ;)

I have always maintained that.
Indian prisons have the lowest reoffending rate in the world - only 4% (65% here).
The lags are kept in squalor.
 
I have always maintained that.
Indian prisons have the lowest reoffending rate in the world - only 4% (65% here).
The lags are kept in squalor.

Interesting thought, i was watching a program last night about Thailand, which involved a look at the infamous Bang Kwang prison, there's quite a number of westerners in there who may not come out and probably die there just due to the hell hole conditions, strangely enough many still get banged up in there year after year mainly due to drug related offence's, it amazes me how they risk it as it's widely known what to expect there through similar TV program's shown worldwide :shrug: sorry to go off topic a bit Rob, great shot's by the way and i do particularly like the last one, i think it takes a certain breed of person to be over there doing the job you all do, more power to you all (y)
 
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After all the furore with outsourcing call-centres to India and beyond - this is one part of the Tax-Payer's burden I would happily outsource...
Imagine all those kiddy-fiddlers being shipped out here, where 'Man-Love Thursday' is an every day highlight...lol

Twenty-five years of brutal anal penetration at the hands of Terry Taleban and his buddies should convince them of the error of their ways...assuming they survive that long...
 
After all the furore with outsourcing call-centres to India and beyond - this is one part of the Tax-Payer's burden I would happily outsource...
Imagine all those kiddy-fiddlers being shipped out here, where 'Man-Love Thursday' is an every day highlight...lol

Twenty-five years of brutal anal penetration at the hands of Terry Taleban and his buddies should convince them of the error of their ways...assuming they survive that long...

:LOL::LOL:

watch and shoot(y)
 
Imagine all those kiddy-fiddlers being shipped out here, where 'Man-Love Thursday' is an every day highlight...lol

Twenty-five years of brutal anal penetration at the hands of Terry Taleban and his buddies should convince them of the error of their ways...assuming they survive that long...

Indeedy :LOL:
 
Part of me really would love to pursue this area of photography, its the type of photo I enjoy looking at the most I guess because its so powerful. Whenever I see your work here or similar in the press I say to myself or those around me I wish I was out doing that. These are the stories that need telling, we sit here in our comfy houses and it's easy to not even think about what's going on on the other side of the world.

My all time favourite photo is one of a vietenamese man being shot in the street, the bullet is in his brain and you can see from his face he is gone but the image is taken just before he falls to the ground. Obviously not one for a frame on the wall but I often go back to it as it tells such a story.

Now if only I had the kahuna's to go out and do this myself.

Keep up the great work (y)

Lis
 
Part of me really would love to pursue this area of photography, its the type of photo I enjoy looking at the most I guess because its so powerful. Whenever I see your work here or similar in the press I say to myself or those around me I wish I was out doing that. These are the stories that need telling, we sit here in our comfy houses and it's easy to not even think about what's going on on the other side of the world.

My all time favourite photo is one of a vietenamese man being shot in the street, the bullet is in his brain and you can see from his face he is gone but the image is taken just before he falls to the ground. Obviously not one for a frame on the wall but I often go back to it as it tells such a story.

Now if only I had the kahuna's to go out and do this myself.

Keep up the great work (y)

Lis

You'd be amazed how many bad photographers are doing this kind of work - the problem is that it doesn't pay terribly well...
Reuters offered me a job off the back of my last Afghan tour in 2006, but the money was pitiful - to make a decent living I'd have to forgo any semblance of normal life and probably base myself out of Islamabad so as to be nearer to all the 'good' jobs...
 
Thanks for sharing the images. Just brings it all home.
 
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