Agricultural Work

As I mentioned in my previous post, we are involved in agricultural initiatives here in Afghanistan. Two of these initiatives are the largest poultry facility in the country and an experimental teaching farm; both are located in Helmand Province, a restive area where military engagements are the norm.

Feed corn recently harvested:


Paprika drying on our experimental farm:


During my visit to the farm, Taliban spotters monitored our progress on motorcycles as well as from the hill overlooking the farm itself. The figure on the hill above the farm is one such spotter; when he noticed he was being photographed he disappeared. We've lost one vehicle to IED on the farm and have experienced two firefights:


We employ security to protect the trainee farmers but oft times rely on direct negotiations through our Afghan employees to prevent incidents. Regardless, clashes break out. Twenty-four hours after these images were made, helicopter gunships assaulted the hill above the farm.


My efforts to bring the reality of life here in Afghanistan have been, largely, met with diffidence. I can only attribute that to a failure on my part to contribute images that measure up to the OPF's standards and I apologize for that.

The above images will be the last I post. Thank you for your forebearance.

Wendy

Amazing pictures!

Wendy Thurman said:

As I mentioned in my previous post, we are involved in agricultural initiatives here in Afghanistan. Two of these initiatives are the largest poultry facility in the country and an experimental teaching farm; both are located in Helmand Province, a restive area where military engagements are the norm.

Feed corn recently harvested:

Paprika drying on our experimental farm:

During my visit to the farm, Taliban spotters monitored our progress on motorcycles as well as from the hill overlooking the farm itself. The figure on the hill above the farm is one such spotter; when he noticed he was being photographed he disappeared. We've lost one vehicle to IED on the farm and have experienced two firefights:

We employ security to protect the trainee farmers but oft times rely on direct negotiations through our Afghan employees to prevent incidents. Regardless, clashes break out. Twenty-four hours after these images were made, helicopter gunships assaulted the hill above the farm.

My efforts to bring the reality of life here in Afghanistan have been, largely, met with diffidence. I can only attribute that to a failure on my part to contribute images that measure up to the OPF's standards and I apologize for that.

The above images will be the last I post. Thank you for your forebearance.

Wendy

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I can't imagine any indifference! Far from it, your pictures generate such admiration for your work. both the work you do for helping being new ideas to ordinary people in Afghanistan and then these brilliant pictures to us! So don't ever think of going away!

Asher

Cappa-like

Wendy Thurman said:

As I mentioned in my previous post, we are involved in agricultural initiatives here in Afghanistan. Two of these initiatives are the largest poultry facility in the country and an experimental teaching farm; both are located in Helmand Province, a restive area where military engagements are the norm.

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Wendy,

So what makes a good photograph and how do I have the nerve to mention Cappa in association with your pictures?

A great photograph is not just the result of technical mastery of the camera, film and processing to get a subject composed and drawn so that it will be treasured as a masterpiece. Yes, such workmanship is admirable, but less important today as the main parameter by which a picture is judged. Part of the consideration is also the concept that the photographer embeds in the picture, one that can be looked at a thousand times and will still engage us. In fact, it's this readiness for us, a kind of life it has, that makes it last and even evolve with time.

"Feed Corn Recently Harvested could have been taken by Robert Cappa in Spain during the Civil War. It shows the harvest of the farmers in Helmand Province, food still grown and marketed despite the dangers of a sniper's bullet, venturing in the fields or a roadside bomb or ambush by bandits or the Taliban, in delivering good to market. more importantly, the you yourself, are exposing yourself to these risks just to get the story into a form that will survive whatever happens to the people in the picture.

Let's look at the picture. The bright orange catches us by surprise, as if a ochre scarf was caught by the wind. We'd expect to have arranged beyond that an equal bounty of colors. but what's out there? Danger! Beyond this spot, every 50 meters is a stage in one's life that may be the last.

So what's a great picture? One like this which catches my attention, pulls me in and as I ask questions it turns around and says, pay attention, I have questions for you to! now that's a photograph!

Asher

I like the one with the feed corn purely for the huge swathe of yellow flanked by the green. I know that is probably not the kind of appreciation you are looking for but graphically that works for me, but my real favourite is number 3 with the taliban spotter in the left hand top third of the frame. His presence there, not only for the contextual significance of what he is doing, but also for the compositional significance, really makes this picture for me.

The fact that you are even there is impressive and to be able to catalogue life there with a camera is very significant. You will see things and experience things that none of us can come close to so please do not stop sharing what you see and record there.

Although stylistically very different when I think of war zones I think of Don McCullin's Hearts of Darkness. I am not saying you should emulate him, I am just saying this knife edge environment can bring out the best in you and put you right up there with war photographers for cataloguing and capturing iconic moments

These are not photos that others in this forum or any other can emulate in any way - because they are not where you are - so what you bring is unique. Anyone can use a macro lens and shoot a pretty flower or a bee or set up a tripod and shoot a landscape - but noone can do what you are doing. All the tea in China wouldn't get me to live there. I take my hat off to you

Bonsoir Wendy
I do understand your feeling, I know what short or lack of response to posts can be frustrating.
However, you should be aware that the kind of photography you do post here is unique.
Unique because they are obviously done with care in difficult conditions (to say the least), by a woman in a country which, may I guess?, have some issues with modern occidental women…

I do feel guilty as I have to admit that I never lack to visit your threads, they tell stories and witness our contemporary drama, and slight touches after slight touches, let us understand a liitle more about our own and their contradiction… in a way you makes us a little bit closer to this people thatin fact we just don't know and may eventually just have fantasms instead of real knowledge…

For all this I put a knee down with my hat and thank you and salute you!

I do feel guilty because I do eat/see/look at/read/ingest/get profit/learn from every single part of your images and text and very rarely do I comment.

But there's nothing to comment! we're - I am- just avid for the next step.
Can't say Wow to your images, they disserve respect and modesty, not those sympathetic but quite 'vulgar' quailficatives.

I do feel guilty, but I'm so happy to be able to see what you share with us.

Please click and hear, hear…

Wendy Thurman said:

...My efforts to bring the reality of life here in Afghanistan have been, largely, met with diffidence. I can only attribute that to a failure on my part to contribute images that measure up to the OPF's standards and I apologize for that.

The above images will be the last I post. Thank you for your forebearance.

Wendy

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Wendy, please, please reconsider.
I've been away from the forum for almost a year now, in some stupid, petty, self-imposed exile.

My return has only been for a few weeks now, but as soon as I saw your name in the last post I knew there'd be captivating images, taken under extreme conditions, of a culture I know little about, shot by I person I have a deep respect for.

Many including myself would be very, very sad to see you go.

Again, please reconsider.

Peace, and safe travels,

Wendy

I find the farm interesting, and presume this is a part of reconstruction work as well as seeking to win the hearts and minds of the local population? I wonder how the local farmers fare once they have been trained - do they return to their villages and put their learning into practice? Are they then more likely to be taragetted by the Taliban?Or is that reserved for the western forces working in the region?

Mike

Hi Wendy,

First, I think Nicolas gave a good explanation about relative "silence" around your photographs : you present raw reality of this strange and scary country called Afghanistan, and there's not a lot of things to say after seeing it. That's for the subject side.

But i think you have also to question yourself about the form too : you make a very documentary photography, without effect nor affect, with still colors and lights. It appears you dont' use retouching or masking... I think it's your personnal choice, to present this raw reality without any manipulation.

Doing that, you bring us to be spectators of what you live on the ground, there in Afghanistan. Subject is interesting but we remain spectators, after all. Again, it's your choice, but if you want to develop emotion and feedbacks, i think you should develop empathy within your pictures, and take our eyes to make us enter into the pictures. Which means improve aesthetics and dramaturgy of your pictures, leaving pure document to deliver more humanist story. You could do this using denser and richer colors, darker lightning, etc... Good example are photographs by Prateek Dubey about India : see the particular use of colors and lights, they are very deep and attractive because they underline the subject itself.

To resume : if you want feedbacks, provoke emotions - to provoke emotions, use aesthetics

Best regards,

Cedric.

A different side of your images that I enjoy Wendy is the location you are taking them in is not a readily/easily accessible area for anyone to just go and take pictures; how many members on OPF are going to have images depicting the harsh reality of events in Afghanastan? I have two friends on a 6 month tour with the Canadian military in Afghanastan right now and your images bring to light much of what their current environment and daily challenges are which for me is a gift to be able to see a glimpse of this while they are away. I personally hope you reconsider your decision to leave, you wold be missed.
Warm Regards,

Cedric MASSOULIER said:

First, I think Nicolas gave a good explanation about relative "silence" around your photographs : you present raw reality of this strange and scary country called Afghanistan, and there's not a lot of things to say after seeing it. That's for the subject side.

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Cedric,

This is a good point, an excuse but not good enough! Of course we have nothing to match these essentially news journalist photographs. None of us other than Wendy are in a war zone!

Cedric MASSOULIER;87006[QUOTE="Cedric MASSOULIER said:

But i think you have also to question yourself about the form too : you make a very documentary photography, without effect nor affect, with still colors and lights. It appears you dont' use retouching or masking... I think it's your personnal choice, to present this raw reality without any manipulation.

Click to expand...

Cedric,

My friend, coming from a land of The enlightenment, you know the position of the 4th Estate!


Wendy cannot do much alteration to these pictures without undermining the authenticity. You are correct that one can use simple techniques of curve adjustment but I'm not sure how much differential masking is kosher. Still, aren't we intelligent enough to see this as news photography and get satisfaction enough with that or do we need the extra aids of image enhancement? I must admit I don't know the answer myself.

Cedric MASSOULIER said:

To resume : if you want feedbacks, provoke emotions - to provoke emotions, use aesthetics

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Cedric you're so obviously correct about the added power of human feelings.

Still, here, do we really need to see someone frightened, wounded in pain, or grieving for these pictures to work n our minds? Photography does not need emotions or beauty, architectural splendor, patterns or balance. Some images have information enough for our prepared minds, for our intellect.

I'm just grateful and impressed we get these pictures, as they are, unpretentious, not gilded, the truth as best Wendy can record it.

Asher

Salams Wendy. You are braver than most of us. Most of the folks here have no clue about Afghanistan
or Iraq. You have.

You are documenting that which most of us would never see in our lifetime.

You surely must know how I feel about your leaving this forum. I prefer to see these places thru your lens than thru the cable channels.

Stay safe.

fahim mohammed said:

Salams Wendy. You are braver than most of us. Most of the folks here have no clue about Afghanistan
or Iraq. You have.

You are documenting that which most of us would never see in our lifetime.

You surely must know how I feel about your leaving this forum. I prefer to see these places thru your lens than thru the cable channels.

Stay safe.

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I couldn't agree more. Well put Fahim

Mike

I really had no idea people were interested in the photographs. I have been asking myself "What am I doing wrong?" I couldn't pinpoint any obvious shortcomings but just assumed the images were uninteresting. I don't want to post poor or bland work. Rarely do I alter the images in post-processing; exposure adjustments and the occasional crop are about as far as I go. Cedric's point is well-taken and perhaps I should, in some cases, spend more time on the computer.

Anyway, thank you all for your encouraging comments. I have a lot invested in some of these photographs; the farm images were particularly risky. I'll keep making them, and I will keep showing them.

Eid Mubarak, Fahim!

Wendy

Wendy, I am pleased and will look to comment as you post going forwards.

Mike

Wendy Thurman said:

Anyway, thank you all for your encouraging comments. I have a lot invested in some of these photographs; the farm images were particularly risky. I'll keep making them, and I will keep showing them.

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Wendy,

I hope that your work will continue and you'll be safe!

Wendy Thurman said:

Eid Mubarak, Fahim!

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Seconded from everyone here!



kul 'am wantum bikhair

Asher

Hi Wendy.

I really like your photos of rural every day life over there.

I find it fascinatingly interesting. Such a different culture.

Sorry I have not posted any comments in the past but I type with two fingers, am dyslexic, and can not spell worth chit. Quite often my spelling is so bad not even the spellchecker can figure it out or provides the wrong word usage spelling.

Please post more of the goings on there!

My apologies for not sending EID greetings to all of you earlier.

To Wendy, Asher, all of you and your loved ones may Allah's Peace and Blessings be with you all
always.

Best wishes.

Wendy, I can't comment cogently as this is not my "sort" of photography (meaning I know nothing about it). It's definitely engaging and important I think. My only suggestion is the last might be brightened a tad.

Interesting work.

(I hope you realize I comment little because I'm out of my depth here?)

Glad I got the see these and HOPE they are not the last. Our brains try to recall something similar to reference to. For me that was several years ago on an interior trip to the Navajo nation in Arizona. The same stark desert backgrounds with lush well watered small fields that were lovely in their contrast. Of course the machine guns snaps me from the familiar to the far away.

Please don't change the Kodachrome look of these. Most of the time, photoshop isn't our friend. I see far too much overprocessed work. These are perfect documents, believable.

Wendy, I'm late to the party, but agree with above posts. It is only natural that viewers tend to comment on the subjects they have some familiarity with. I've admired some incredible photos of yachts, city infrastructure, and the like at OPF without offering any comment. No comment from me does not mean I don't like the image. Instead, it simply means I lack the knowledge to say anything helpful about it.

So, needless to say, you are working in exotic locations; hence the lack of feedback. The photos you are taking are excellent, and am looking forward to seeing more of them.

All-

Thanks again for the encouragement- as mentioned, I'll press on with the Afghan images.

On a different note, this spring I will be in Indonesia for a couple of weeks concentrating on underwater work. I'm looking forward to that as I need a change of pace. Afghanistan is wearing me down.

Wendy

Wendy Thurman said:

On a different note, this spring I will be in Indonesia for a couple of weeks concentrating on underwater work. I'm looking forward to that as I need a change of pace. Afghanistan is wearing me down

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Hi Wendy

I also feel a lack of knowledge of your situation in Afghanistan, and about documentary photography, again this is why I haven't responded previously....

All I can say is that I am in awe of your courage and skill, I couldn't begin to do what you are doing.

I'm not surprised that Afghanistan is wearing you down, it would anyone! I hope that we can help a little with moral support, and hope that you realise now that we do support you, and know that the work you are doing is important but potentially dangerous and must weigh heavily upon you and your colleagues.

Your trip to Indonesia sounds great, good to have something different to look forward to.

These images are great to see, Wendy. Thanks for showing.