I Begin

Posted by steven greaves photography on November 28, 2009 · 

6 Comments

“Which is worse, to be too often protected,
and thereby forget the sufferings of others,
or to suffer them oneself?”
– William T. Vollman, “The Atlas.”
  

With trepidation, I begin. I’m throwing the dice. As I’ve heard it said, “The greatest risk is not taking one.”  Abandoning the ROIs, NOIs, BEOs (and stable paychecks) of soulless corporate America, I’m headed out. The call of the wild again resonates strongly and the open road awaits…..as it always does. 

Prior forays have found me in shit-holes scattered around the globe; to this I am no stranger. From high Himalayan peaks hobbled with Acute Mountain Sickness to colonial Caribbean capitals, head spinning from too much sugar cane, travel is my forte. I lose myself….and find myself….out there. This time, however, it’s different! This time, it’s a career decision and not just my primal desire to be the stranger in a strange land. After decades of clutching a camera and half-assing it (or merely just talking of becoming a photojournalist), the past two years have been ones of tenacity, dedication and an unbridled commitment to this craft. The work has been pushed and my skills honed. Colleagues and peers have noticed. The laudatory comments, exhibitions and awards attest to this. An internship with VII and the photographers therein have given me a kick in the ass and the confidence to move forward into worlds unknown and a career, as of yet, unrealized. And so, with trepidation, I begin. 

Pending projects and stories: 

 1 The French Foreign Legion- France, Djibouti and Afghanistan. A study of recruitment, basic training, specialized desert-warfare training and deployment of the famed French Foreign Legion’s 2REP. 

 2 US AID- Afghanistan. The security challenges in Afghanistan have hampered humanitarian efforts for many of the world’s NGOs. What is the US Govt. doing to stem the tide of extremism through its’ own humanitarian efforts? 

 3 Death on the Ganga- Varanasi, India. Banaras is the holiest city in India for Hindus. To die here and only here secures a release from the cycles of life (samsara) and guarantees the achievement of liberation (moksha).  The elderly from all over the subcontinent come here to await death. Ashrams have been set up to house, feed and care for these people who have embraced their mortality and are awaiting release. 

 Locations: 

 1 U.K. 

 2 France including Corsica 

 3 Djibouti 

 4 Ethiopia 

 5 Eritrea 

 6 Afghanistan 

 7 India 

 8 Bangladesh