Salon.com > James Lee

10 memorable scenes from Afghanistan

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:01:00 +0000

James Lee's photographs show the other side of the war in Afghanistan, a side rarely shown by worldwide media. His collection is a great representation of the spectrum of life for Afghans in the current conflict, a conflict that represents a continuance of decades of war. Few journalists have been able to capture such images; most are embeds confined to current military operations where insight into the day-to-day lives of locals without the presence of military personnel is nearly impossible to get.

These candid photographs convey struggle in the current atmosphere in Afghanistan, but they also illustrate a hope for a brighter future for the country. We hope that everyone interested in this part of the world takes a close look at not just these 10 favorites, but of all those included in James' show. Such images, as rare as they are, are invaluable for the historical record of not just the current conflict, but for Afghanistan as a whole. Hopefully we will see more images of such depth and caliber.

-- Ed Darack, the author of "Victory Point," is an independent writer and photographer. He is currently conducting field research in southern Afghanistan. National Geographic, Outside Magazine, and The Sunday London Times have featured his photographs.

Afghanistan: A slow burn

Thu, 27 May 2010 12:01:00 +0000

Downwind from a toxic trash fire, a pair of Afghan workers keep an eye out for the next truckload of waste as their lunch reaches a rolling boil in a kettle. Without any words, the hot water is poured onto the ground as soot-stained fingers divvy up 10 hard-boiled eggs. Hours earlier, these eggs were lifted from a dumpster outside the dining facility at U.S. Forward Operating Base Sharana in eastern Afghanistan. Adding salt, the men make quick work of the eggs while another trash truck steers into sight. Leaving behind only eggshells, these workers shuffle down a steep embankment and into a field of smoldering trash in search of scrap metal. By midday, a steady rain has soaked the men and reduced the hazardous smoke to a pale haze that extends across the dump site.

Inside Sharana, private contractors are paid by the U.S. government to transport and burn unsorted waste materials. According to a military representative, salvage rights to the scrap metal were awarded to a local landowner whose cooperation facilitated the initial development of this burgeoning base.

On the line in Afghanistan

Wed, 26 May 2010 01:01:00 +0000

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

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:20:00 +0000

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

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:01:00 +0000

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

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:01:00 +0000

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.