Scenes from Afghanistan
On the line in Afghanistan
Slide show: On the Pakistan border, divisions and danger are everywhere, and Americans nowhere to be found SLIDE SHOW
Editors’ note: For years, a guerrilla war has made photography a very difficult enterprise in Afghanistan. Trying to keep a lens focused on the Afghan National Security Forces proved no less complicated this past April. While he was developing this fourth installment in our Scenes From Afghanistan photo-essay series, American military officials expelled James Lee from Nangarhar province after he traveled with ANSF during an opium eradication operation near the Pakistan border, a violation of media ground rules. One week later, Lee received written authorization from Afghanistan’s Office of Social Affairs to rejoin ANSF forces based in Laghman province. Due to reports of suicide bombers in the province, Afghan military officials prevented Lee from accompanying ANSF patrols into populated areas. Despite these challenges, Lee continued to photograph ANSF as they worked alone, without Americans. A photojournalist and former Marine, Lee got himself to Afghanistan for an extended stay. He is also keeping a photo blog at the Ventura County Star.
Two weeks in Wardak
Slide show: The latest installment in our Scenes from Afghanistan photo essay series SLIDE SHOW
Editors’ note: This is the third installment in James Lee’s Scenes from Afghanistan series for Salon. A photojournalist and former Marine, Lee got himself to Afghanistan for an extended stay. He is also keeping a photo blog at the Ventura County Star.
Life during wartime
Portraits of Afghans as the war grinds on SLIDE SHOW
Scenes from Afghanistan Editors’ note: This is the second installment in James Lee’s Scenes from Afghanistan series for Salon. A photojournalist and former Marine, Lee got himself to Afghanistan for an extended stay, based at Forward Operating Base Bostick near the Afghan village of Shamaser Kalay. He is also keeping a photo blog at the Ventura County Star.
Scenes from Afghanistan
A tiny girl at a window. Young police recruits. Elders at a Jirga. Portraits of an under-covered war SLIDE SHOW
Editors’ note: Photojournalist James Lee got himself to Afghanistan for an extended stay, based at Forward Operating Base Bostick near the Afghan village of Shamaser Kalay. The former Marine is keeping a photo blog at the Ventura County Star.
We were so moved by his images — a tiny girl at a window, young police recruits, elders attending a Jirga, Afghan boys jostling for humanitarian aid — we asked if Salon could host the occasional slide show of scenes from our under-covered war. Here’s the first batch; let us know what you think.
Scenes from Afghanistan is a photo-essay series by James Lee, a photojournalist and former Marine. See also his blog and Salon's full Afghanistan topic page.
