Helmand

Helmand, Afghanistan by Robert J. Wilson

Robert Wilson, a commercial photographer, was invited by the Brigadier in command of the 52nd Infantry Brigade to commemorate the brigade’s six month tour of duty.They had been leading the British task force in the southern Afghanistan war zone. Robert was invited as a war artist not as a photographer and in his two weeks with the troops he produced some of extraordinary pictures of British forces under the pressure of conflict. The work consists of portraits of the troops, including several of women soldiers, portraits of Afghans and pictures of the bases and daily life. There are a number of views of the landscape, especially from the air. Finally there is the first record of a repatriation ceremony to mark the return of the body of a British marine in a flag-draped coffin on board a Hercules aircraft.

The difference in this work is that it was made using a Medium Format camera. These are the tools of an advertising photographer. The size of the files were so large the pictures could be blown up to billboard scale. Though the pictures are harrowing in many cases – the soldiers’ exhaustion is explicit – they are also beautiful. The intelligence behind the work creates disquiet, appropriate for a modern laptop war, in contrast to the grainy conventions of photojournalism.They constitute a very important document.

""I used the Phase One P45+ in Helmand, Afghanistan and it didn't fail to deliver what I was after. I could shoot huge files sizes in condition"" that were incredibly cold and extremely dusty. It didn't let me down.'

Robert Wilson chronicles the lives of UK troops in Helmand.

A Lynx helicopter takes off from the military base at
Musa Qala in Helmand province, leaving clouds of dust,
and a soldier from the Household Cavalry, in its wake.

A local man in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province. The base there, home to 52 Infantry Brigade’s HQ, is nicknamed Lash Vegas by troops

A loadmaster strapped into a Chinook as it descends
into Musa Qala. The job entails loading the helicopter
and operating the rear-mounted machinegun.

Combat medic Jodie Kayhill, 21.

View all 19 images here,

See more of Roberts work at:

http://www.robertjwilson.com/

Helmand is published by Jonathan Cape, priced £30
EAN: 9780224087490
Format: Hardback
Published: 16 Oct 2008

Robert Wilson chronicles the lives of UK troops in Helmand.

A Lynx helicopter takes off from the military base at
Musa Qala in Helmand province, leaving clouds of dust,
and a soldier from the Household Cavalry, in its wake.

A local man in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province. The base there, home to 52 Infantry Brigade’s HQ, is nicknamed Lash Vegas by troops

A loadmaster strapped into a Chinook as it descends
into Musa Qala. The job entails loading the helicopter
and operating the rear-mounted machinegun.

Combat medic Jodie Kayhill, 21.

Robert Wilson chronicles the lives of UK troops in Helmand.

A Lynx helicopter takes off from the military base at Musa Qala in Helmand province, leaving clouds of dust, and a soldier from the Household Cavalry, in its wake.

A local man in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmand province. The base there, home to 52 Infantry Brigade’s HQ, is nicknamed Lash Vegas by troops

A loadmaster strapped into a Chinook as it descends into Musa Qala. The job entails loading the helicopter and operating the rear-mounted machinegun.

Combat medic Jodie Kayhill, 21.

A Lynx helicopter takes off from the military base at
Musa Qala in Helmand province, leaving clouds of dust,
and a soldier from the Household Cavalry, in its wake.

A loadmaster strapped into a Chinook as it descends
into Musa Qala. The job entails loading the helicopter
and operating the rear-mounted machinegun.