Radar Hill
Radar Hill outside Kabul, Afghanistan
Radar Hill outside Kabul, Afghanistan
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Sep, 2015Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Strong Foregrounds Photo Contest
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joshuagraff
December 08, 2015
Once up at the top, we stripped off the body armor and excess gear to relax a bit.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this on Radar Hill, a small outpost on a mountain top overlooking Kabul, Afghanistan. We ran a mission to go do a site survey, and once everything was secure, it was time for some photo ops. It was a nice sunny afternoon without too much haze (a normal thing there) and it made for some stunning shots.Time
Mid-day; like many of my shots, the timing had more to do with opportunity than planning for photos.Lighting
This was a good day in the Afghanistan mountains; it wasn't too bright, not too hazy/polluted, and it was calm.Equipment
Handheld Sony a550 with the SAL 18-250mm lens.Inspiration
I liked to shoot the day-to-day life we experienced in Afghanistan that gave a glimpse beyond what people see on the news. This was one of those moments where we were able to just take a relaxing look over the city from a mountain top and shed the body armor. I had turned away from shooting some ruins and tank hulls left atop the hill and saw the soldier standing there and the shot just seemed to make itself.Editing
In Lightroom, I did convert to B&W, crank the clarity, and boost the contrast.In my camera bag
This is another example of me normally traveling light. My normal gear is just the camera body and "walking lens" (either the 18-250mm or 24-240mm depending on body), extra batteries, and a spare memory card. Often, I'll carry my trusty Minolta 50mm 1.8 and sometimes a flash, but unless I know I am going to shoot something specific, I prefer to keep gear to a minimum.Feedback
Keep your eyes open and head on a swivel. Like most of my shots, it was not planned or posed; it was just a captured moment. And remember, what may seem commonplace to you can be a whole different world to many others. I spent many years in the sandbox, and it was my wife who would regularly remind me that what I did and saw everyday that I tended to think wasn't worth mentioning was a whole different experience for her and others. I guess that is part of the inspiration as well - just trying to show my version of normal life.
