9 thoughts on “Combat Photography”

1. First off you should look into some good training. http://risctraining.org/ is one place to start, or just google “training for war reporters” and you’ll find a bunch of information. You have to realize that you’re going into a situation that the men and women of the military have trained for years to survive. So you have to make sure you have as much training as possible and the right equipment.

   Whether you’re working as a freelancer or a staff photographer, the terms you’re looking for are unilateral or embedded. Unilateral means you’re on your own and not in the military bubble, handling your own transportation and security. Not recommended for an American in Afghanistan unless you have a lot of money to hire people who know what they’re doing in country— great fixers and a security team.

2. continued… Embedded means you’re inserted into a military unit, which is the safest way for a first-timer. There are drawbacks to the embedding system, (you give up some independence and have to follow the military’s rules), but there are many advantages. you can look up the pros and cons online.

   Either way, you need to know the conditions on the ground. A good place to keep up to date on the various hot spots around the globe is here: http://www.crisisgroup.org/. Their reports are full of the information you’ll need to know if you want to be taken seriously when you get to a place like Afghanistan. The main point to all of this is you’re thinking of undertaking a serious venture. So there is a lot of work and research and training to do. If it’s just for the thrill, drive down to Six Flags Magic Mountain north of Los Angeles and ride the X2.

3. continued…

   Rick Egan from the Tribune has been embedded in Iraq. Bryan Jones has been embedded in a bunch of military situations. Either one of them could give you great information.

4. Hey man, sorry for the delay in responding. Am traveling right now.

   At any rate, I don’t mean to sound mean, but if your goal is for a thrill, Trent is right. If you want a thrill, you are going to get yourself and others killed or worse (yes, there is worse). Most of the folks that have spent time in combat over there in the military and know reporters will be able to sniff that out and you will have a hard time getting anything. In fact, if anyone in a command with *any* authority heard that verbalized, you’d lose your embed and be a pariah, possibly after traveling over there which would make getting home conveniently problematic. These soldiers want to bring all their folks back and don’t want to risk that on getting a reporter a thrill. If its a thrill you are after, call up Patrick Smith and ask him to show you places in Baltimore to do street photography. I am only half joking here because the only place in the world I’ve ever been truly and immediately scared for my personal well being was in Baltimore…

   That said, if it is something that you want to do, then follow Trent’s advice and get some training. There are companies that will provide training for a price on how to keep yourself and others around you alive. This entails familiarization with military rank and protocol which is important so you don’t call a major a private or just so you know how to navigate that culture. For instance, there is a whole protocol for joining people commanding officers at the mess table. Don’t make people around you uncomfortable by being the “dumb” reporter. You will never get the story that way as military life is its own culture and knowing how to move within it and respond to challenges will be important to getting the story. Be prepared to be constantly questioned and challenged. The Marines, soldiers, airmen and sailors around you will challenge you, even threaten you at times to see who you are and if you pose a danger to them or others which brings up the next point. It will also be important so that you know how military units communicate and move. You don’t want to move when you would jeopardize the unit or yourself for instance and only move when it is safe and appropriate to do so. You will also have to be able to move when you are scared and you will be scared at times… Note: This is not a thrill. Being yelled at is not a thrill and being shot at is absolutely not a thrill. Its not like it is in the movies and knowing what to do will keep you and the people surrounding you safe. Bullets do not behave like you’d think and they don’t always travel in straight lines and the sounds they make will surprise you. It can be sensory overload, so be prepared.

   I’ve never been in Iraq or Afghanistan per se, but the places I have been are tough on equipment. So, you are going to need to spend some substantial cash on gear that will take a *beating*. Iraq and Afghanistan (and other desert places) have really fine talcum powder sand that gets in everything. It scratches lenses, gets in seals, causes equipment to fail, etc… Be prepared to have gear that will fail, even the pricey weather sealed stuff. You will also need body armor to even get off the plane in a combat theatre. This will not be cheap either. You want good gear that is comfortable and effective and soft body armor will not cut it. You’ll need hard level IV plates as well in many zones and don’t cheap out buying garbage from eBay. Body armor has “expiration periods” as it ages in response to body sweat, UV exposure and the like, so buying someones used gear might be a sure fire way to get yourself killed (or again, worse). My first body armor was crazy heavy and uncomfortable. The next gear was far more comfortable, but you are looking at a couple thousand dollars for body armor that ironically can be fragile as the plates are ceramic. So shipping them can be expensive to difficult places. The other issue is that you need to convince someone to sell you body armor as it can be a difficult item to obtain. If you have a sponsor or a letter from someone like the DOD or a unit commander that can help.

   You will also have to pay for your own travel unless you are reporting for an agency or military resource. Getting an embed is no guarantee of travel and you are low item on the totem pole. I’ve seen people get abandoned in remote parts of the world like the Canary islands when equipment malfunctioned and there were no “seats” on replacement transports. Getting home from the Canary islands on short notice by yourself can be not inexpensive.

   If this is something you really want to do, spend lots of time doing the research online and I’d suggest starting out by finding a story angle with a local unit that might deploy (getting harder as the mission there winds down). This is getting harder as regular units are reducing their time overseas and getting embeds with SPECOPS units are *RARE*. If you can get an embed with a SPECOPS unit, that has its own additional issues with culture and awareness that is another level completely from regular .mil units, so be prepared for that and to be dropped like a proverbial hot potato if they smell anything about you that can cause them additional problems. Local unit commanders have discretion for instance on whether to “dis-embed” a reporter. Suddenly finding yourself “freelancing” without an embed overseas is crazy expensive and dangerous. Those that have gone through that and have egos that that will let them tell you about it will report not fun times.

   There are also other opportunities for an embed, not necessarily with front line units like being aboard a Navy ship or an Air Force unit. That has all of its own issues and dangers however and its important to not treat that any differently with respect to preparation.

   Oh and understand that normal life insurance does not cover issues related to “Acts of War”. Traveling in war zones without the appropriate life insurance risks leaving you/your loved ones uncovered in the eventuality that you get killed (or worse).

   1) Ask yourself if you really want to do this.
   2) Research and prepare, then ask yourself if you really want to do this again.
   3) Be prepared to spend lots of money.
   4) Be prepared to not be able to sell your story.
   5) Ask yourself if you really want to do this again.
   6) Get training.
   7) Ask yourself if you really want to do this again.

5. Ditto and amen to what Bryan Jones stated above! My experience is Vietnam and things have changed so much since that time. My experience is useless for the current time except this: All priorities change when one hears the bullets whiz by your head, for a photo of terror, just look into the eyes of the guy next to ya! It’s not a game, it is not a thrill!

6. Thank you all for your replies, the information is useful. I even appreciate the pessemism, it helps keep my mind grounded and focused. I am not a child, or an over zealous, thrill seeking individual who doesn’t think things through. However, I am sure that there are those types out there who find their way into danger zones and put themselves and everyone around them at an unnecessary level of risk, and I am willing to bet that some of you (if not all) have come into contact with them. Therefore, I understand the somewhat condescending tone, and respect what you are saying, while at the same time not taking it personal. I have my reasons for my intense interest in war photography, and though I don’t feel the need to express them in any great detail here, I feel they are legitimate and sincere; none of them involve the “thrill” as a motivating factor.

   I especially appreciate the training links, so thank you for that Trent. As for some of the other suggestions that were made, some of them I have gotten somewhat of a head start on, so I am glad that you brought them up.
   I lived in Tomah Wisconsin for about a year and worked at Fort McCoy there, and being familiar with ranks, and the overall culture of the military was absolutely essential.
   Also, while I was there I became fairly close friends with some higher ranking officers. I have set up a conference call for next week with two of them to get advice from the on what the best ways to make and maintain a good impression with military personell as a member of the media. The one that I am closest with is an E9 Command Sergeant Major who was the former Regimental Sergeant Major of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He told me he keeps in very close contact with those who are currently in command of that regiment, and with other special forces officers at Fort Bragg. So, in taking Bryan’s comments to heart about elite forces staying down range longer and deploying more frequently, perhaps I will discuss with him about getting attached to one of those units.
   As I indicated before, I am well aware that this isn’t a game, and that time and preparation are required so as not to put myself or other around me at an unecessary danger. Once again, I appreciate everyone taking the time to leave their comments.

7. Hey Arthur, In no way did I intend to be condescending. Just honest. If you are going over for personal reasons, great. Its going to be a hard story to sell as the conflict seems to be winding down. That said there are still stories to be told.

   Also, the NCOs are some of the *best* folks to learn from in that racket. Sounds like you have some good connections.

   Don’t take the life insurance thing lightly. I am serious. Most ins. companies will not cover things that happen in a war zone. You have to make sure that is covered.

8. Thanks Bryan, I really do appreciate the input. You definately bring up a good point about the marketability of a war that is winding down. Also, the life insurance thing is not to be ignored. Despite the personal justification I may have, those two points alone may very well put a halt to my plans.

9. Great attitude to have. Keep in mind that when people like Bryan and I respond to questions here we’re writing for you as well as the hundreds of others with similar ideas who will read the responses. We don’t know you as well as we should so we try to cover all the bases. Make an informed decision, apply yourself, take it seriously and you’ll be in good shape regardless of your final plans. Best of luck…