question about Iraq?

nrois02 · Jun 17, 2009

I was wondering if anyone on here has gone to Iraq and photographed anything over there? and I was also wondering if I did want to go if I would need military escorts and all of that? Im assuming I do but was wondering if anyone had advice to how to go about dealing with it?

KmH · Jun 17, 2009

Why would the military give you escort? I believe if you go on your own hook, your protection would be your own worry.

adamwilliamking · Jun 17, 2009

I think this is one of those;

"Don't call us, we'll call you" situations.

UUilliam · Jun 17, 2009

its not asif the WHOLE of iraq is a giant war game...

there is bits of iraq that are fine like baghdad will be fine now...

but why would milta protect you? they have better things to do than protect a tourist...

itznfb · Jun 17, 2009

you could hire black water to escort you. probably only costs a couple hundred grand.

nrois02 · Jun 17, 2009

yeah didnt really think of that. ok.. dumb question. haha

KIR · Jul 19, 2009

I have been over there twice, with the Army. And I have taken some photos over there. It is an incredibly ugly country. Think the worst of El Paso and surrounds. Though to be fair, in the fall the skies are pretty interesting. As far as do they let you go - I believe there has been some tourism opened up - but I would absolutely 100% NOT recommend it unless you're Arab and you speak the language. No the military won't help you out, and Blackwater is plenty busy with the highpaying government guys - as itznfb mentioned. My suggestion is to go to another Arab country if it's the culture you're interested in photographing. And if it's the historical sites or archeological ruins, I'd just wait a few years for the melee to subside, if it ever does.

nrois02 · Jul 19, 2009

no its not the arabs that im interested in photography. its being on the front line and photographing that sort of thing but i know im not going to get a chance to be able to do that.

musicaleCA · Jul 19, 2009

No, you can have a chance. You just need to join the army and hopefully they'll let you shoot with your camera while you're there. Ask the recruiter nearest to you. That's if it's really something you want to do though.

Sachphotography · Jul 20, 2009

Dude are you freaking serious. ITS NOT A DAMN JOKE!!! You want to be on the front lines? Fine go join the services do your time and then you can sit on the front lines and watch your best friend take a bullet to the head and wonder how his wife and kid are going to handle the news. I have lost two of my closets friends and one of my guys I went to basic with. The military has their own photographers and the waiting list is long. So please dont insult me. And seriously what do you think you have to gain by taking pictures of anything there?

musicaleCA · Jul 20, 2009

Sachphotography said:
Dude are you freaking serious. ITS NOT A DAMN JOKE!!! You want to be on the front lines? Fine go join the services do your time and then you can sit on the front lines and watch your best friend take a bullet to the head and wonder how his wife and kid are going to handle the news. I have lost two of my closets friends and one of my guys I went to basic with. The military has their own photographers and the waiting list is long. So please dont insult me. And seriously what do you think you have to gain by taking pictures of anything there?

Thank you. That was something a little more along the lines I was thinking of.

chakalakasp · Jul 20, 2009

Sachphotography said:
Dude are you freaking serious. ITS NOT A DAMN JOKE!!! You want to be on the front lines? Fine go join the services do your time and then you can sit on the front lines and watch your best friend take a bullet to the head and wonder how his wife and kid are going to handle the news. I have lost two of my closets friends and one of my guys I went to basic with. The military has their own photographers and the waiting list is long. So please dont insult me. And seriously what do you think you have to gain by taking pictures of anything there?

Sommmmmebody has never been a photojournalist. Not everyone is satisfied with pictures of flowers and their cat, you know.

To the original poster: for this kind of information, and to find advice from professional photographers on shooting in hazardous environments, I would reccomend the forum "Lightstalkers". Give it a Google. Note, however, that your post betrays a general sense of ignorance about how these things work, so I would recommend you try doing a project a little less "hairy" before you chuck yourself into a war zone. Get the skills of working in a foriegn land where they're not trying to abduct and kill you before you move on to a country where they are.

Restomage · Jul 20, 2009

Go to Dubai.

Sachphotography · Jul 20, 2009

chakalakasp said:
Sachphotography said:

Dude are you freaking serious. ITS NOT A DAMN JOKE!!! You want to be on the front lines? Fine go join the services do your time and then you can sit on the front lines and watch your best friend take a bullet to the head and wonder how his wife and kid are going to handle the news. I have lost two of my closets friends and one of my guys I went to basic with. The military has their own photographers and the waiting list is long. So please dont insult me. And seriously what do you think you have to gain by taking pictures of anything there?

Click to expand...

Sommmmmebody has never been a photojournalist. Not everyone is satisfied with pictures of flowers and their cat, you know.

To the original poster: for this kind of information, and to find advice from professional photographers on shooting in hazardous environments, I would reccomend the forum "Lightstalkers". Give it a Google. Note, however, that your post betrays a general sense of ignorance about how these things work, so I would recommend you try doing a project a little less "hairy" before you chuck yourself into a war zone. Get the skills of working in a foriegn land where they're not trying to abduct and kill you before you move on to a country where they are.

He makes it seem like a friggin joke. It isnt a joke. Photojournalist get killed just as much as military does. Just google Daniel Pearl . He had his head cut off. My point is dont make light of a serious situation. Dumb kids play all these war games on Xbox and think War is fun and no big deal. People need to have respect......