going to war

[msobhani]

hi folks

we are preparing for our war coverage in and around iraq and need any info from any of you who may have similar experience. we will be travelling with armed forces.

some info we are looking for...
-photo gear: what did you need and not have? have and not need? we are trying to pack as light and mobile as possible.

- personal effects: how much clothes? what over the counter drugs? best shoes/boots?

- sat phones: anyone use the BGAN? what other sat phones have you used? any unexpected problems?

- embedding with the army: what do they provide? what do they expect of the journalists? do they have any problems with us using sat phones?

- anything else? things you weren't prepared for? odds and ends to take that would prove helpful.

i know there are a lot of questions, but any info would be greatly appreciated, especially as there are probably many others out there in the same boat.

thanks
mark

[John Brasseaux]

Just curious ... just how does one go about becoming a combat photojournalist?

- JB

John:

That is a question with no simple answer. The rules have changed over the past decade or so. Many are freelancers who send themselves to war torn areas, many choose to shoot domestic combat areas.

First of all you need a whole new set of skills. I have shot in drug infested projects, and been in-and-out of about two dozen shoot outs. Surviving these, and riots, terrorist attacks (Belfast for me in 1992) takes a whole set of skills beyond knowing how to shoot. Shooting in Africa, the Middle East and Croatia takes an entirely stepped up set of skills.

Start with a lot of research. Read about the areas, the issues, the economics, and read a lot from photos who shoot these events every day. Start with Ron Haviv and James Nachwey for overseas work, and Eugene Richards for domestic combat.

[John Brasseaux]

Steve:

Being a former U.S. Marine Corps Infantry officer, I'm well aware of military weapons and combat situations. What I want to know is how to get a gig shooting in a combat area, of which there will be plenty of in the near future.

- JB

John:

Most comebat photogs I know are freelancers. These shooters pay their own way to get there, are creative in getting their images back out.

You basically buy a plane ticket, get yourself in, and sell it from the inside out. Most agencies are no longer paying the frieght of shooters to get into the hot zone.

You probably want to contact an agency (Corbis Sygma, Corbis SABA, Polaris Images, Sipa Press, Black Star) and see what they can do for you in terms of credentials, and selling your images.

[John Brasseaux]

Steve,

Many thanks for the info. Got any URL's for the agencies mentioned?

- JB

[Jonathan_Zalkin]

Use goggle or the source book.
then again there is allway the yellow pages. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
J. Zalkin