Photographer of Interest - Selected by Editor: Guerrilla fighters of Kurdistan by Joey L.

[Jerome Marot]

Joey L., which I have already presented in this forum for his photographs of the Omo Valley, recently issued a series of photographs about guerrilla fighters of Kurdistan, you may see them here with accompanying text.

I'll include two for your convenience:

​

And since this is a photography forum, I'll point out that Joey L. uses a Phase One medium format camera and Elinchrom lights for his work:

I don't necessarily condone the photography or what presently happens in that part of the world, but today seemed like a good day to present that work.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Joey L., which I have already presented in this forum for his photographs of the Omo Valley, recently issued a series of photographs about guerrilla fighters of Kurdistan, you may see them here with accompanying text.

I'll include two for your convenience:

​

And since this is a photography forum, I'll point out that Joey L. uses a Phase One medium format camera and Elinchrom lights for his work:

I don't necessarily condone the photography or what presently happens in that part of the world, but today seemed like a good day to present that work.

Jerome,

I wonder why the photographer needed such heavy equipment. With a modern camera, one is much more mobile and can sustain difficult terrain while being embedded with fighters. It must mean that the pictures are already being self-censured, as it is unlikely to cover fast moving action as was recorded in the Spanish civil war.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Joey L., which I have already presented in this forum for his photographs of the Omo Valley, recently issued a series of photographs about guerrilla fighters of Kurdistan, you may see them here with accompanying text.

I'll include two for your convenience:

​

Jerome,

This is impressive that there appear to be female fighters. It makes sense as they need to maximize the ranks of their fighting force. Women in combat roles is not new but most modern armies tend to protect the female soldiers, putting them into less exposed positions.

I have the greatest respect for such fighters as this demonstrates the community's total commitment to their "cause". If the justification for war is so persuasive, then for small societies at risk of destruction, women should be given the opportunity to fight for their communities too. A terrible decision but understandable!

I am no expert on munitions and not even competent to identify the weapons here that these women carry. Still, I'd bet that they have little access to anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft shoulder-fired missiles as the Americans, under Turkish Pressure, have refused to supply much more than nigh vision goggles and light arms to Kurds. Now, with Kurds rescuing the desperate Yazdi victims of ISIS domination massacres and occupation, doubtless, better weapons will be forthcoming. Nevertheless, they will have to depend spoils of war to have much heavier and more advanced weaponry.

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

I wonder why the photographer needed such heavy equipment.

That is good. Watch the pictures again. Remember that this is a photo forum.

This is impressive that there appear to be female fighters.

Indeed. I knew you would notice.

Now tell me: do you think ISIS uses female fighters?

I'd bet that they have little access to anti-tank weapons

You should have looked at the whole series of pictures before waging the bet.

 

[Asher Kelman]

That is good. Watch the pictures again. Remember that this is a photo forum.



Indeed. I knew you would notice.

Now tell me: do you think ISIS uses female fighters?




You should have looked at the whole series of pictures before waging the bet.

I like this woman and her weapon, Jerome! Pretty damn good and worthwhile schlepping th lighting gear and a heavy Phase One MF camera!

Still, the shell is rather scuffed and I suspect it might have been on some smuggling route from Libyian arms depots commandeered by various factions and sold or transferred to this war theater to who ever can pay!

I have seen a lot of weaponry and again, I'm no expert, but shells are generally cleanly painted and do not look like this!

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Let me emphasize, Jerome, the Kurds have been very brave and have some scavenged weapons but they are not armed as any minor ally of the U.S. Due to the strong intervention of the Turks who fear a well armed Kurdish force shooting down their bombers over Kurdish areas.

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

Let me emphasize, Jerome, the Kurds have been very brave and have some scavenged weapons but they are not armed as any minor ally of the U.S. Due to the strong intervention of the Turks who fear a well armed Kurdish force shooting down their bombers over Kurdish areas.

That is true. Let just say that, for historical reasons, Turks and Kurds are not quite best friends.

 

[Asher Kelman]

.............

Now tell me: do you think ISIS uses female fighters?

http://www.vox.com/cards/isis-myths-iraq/isis-female-soldiers

 

[Robert Watcher]

Jerome,

I wonder why the photographer needed such heavy equipment. With a modern camera, one is much more mobile and can sustain difficult terrain while being embedded with fighters. It must mean that the pictures are already being self-censured, as it is unlikely to cover fast moving action as was recorded in the Spanish civil war.

Asher

Joey L isn't a photojournalist Asher. He is young guy who developed a style of going into remote areas such as native tribes - with a production staff --- shooting with Medium Format cameras and studio lights and softboxes. This will likely be another project that he has put together and not actually an enbedding on the battle field.

 

[Robert Watcher]

Joey L is more about portraiture and not photojournalism : http://www.joeyl.com/overview/category/quick-portfolio

 

[Asher Kelman]

Please let me know if your post does not appear and seems to require approval. There should be no such requirement.

If there is an issue, I will approve your post manually and try to solve the issue soon.

Thanks for your patience!

Asher

 

[Michael Nagel]

{...}
You should have looked at the whole series of pictures before waging the bet.

{...}
Still, the shell is rather scuffed and I suspect it might have been on some smuggling route from Libyian arms depots commandeered by various factions and sold or transferred to this war theater to who ever can pay!

I have seen a lot of weaponry and again, I'm no expert, but shells are generally cleanly painted and do not look like this!

I think you already answered your question. The Kurds do not profit from a well-funded army and have to use what they can get, so good paint on a shell is pretty secondary as long as it serves its purpose...

I am not an expert, but from what I can see from a look in an online encyclopedia, this is most likely a RPG-7 with a PG-7VL warhead. Not as good as the modern fancy stuff, but it seems to be good enough to inflict a mobility kill on any modern armour.

The pictures are impressive and incite respect for the portrayed.

Looking back in history there were quite notable participations of female soldiers in front-line combat, like the Night Witches in WWII or Soviet female snipers.

Best regards,
Michael

 

[Asher Kelman]

Jerome,

Thanks once more for bringing such exceptional work to us!

Asher

 

[Dave Butcher]

Joey L., which I have already presented in this forum for his photographs of the Omo Valley, recently issued a series of photographs about guerrilla fighters of Kurdistan, you may see them here with accompanying text.

I'll include two for your convenience:

​

And since this is a photography forum, I'll point out that Joey L. uses a Phase One medium format camera and Elinchrom lights for his work:

I don't necessarily condone the photography or what presently happens in that part of the world, but today seemed like a good day to present that work.

These are fantastic works of art. I do not condone what war is and what it stands for but it is a real part of our lives. Whether it be a civil war or domestic with racial and terrorists. This is the world that we live in. If this type of life comes to the United States I would only hope that I would be brave enough to document it like what we see in these photos.

 

[Dave Butcher]

​

Jerome,

This is impressive that there appear to be female fighters. It makes sense as they need to maximize the ranks of their fighting force. Women in combat roles is not new but most modern armies tend to protect the female soldiers, putting them into less exposed positions.

I have the greatest respect for such fighters as this demonstrates the community's total commitment to their "cause". If the justification for war is so persuasive, then for small societies at risk of destruction, women should be given the opportunity to fight for their communities too. A terrible decision but understandable!

I am no expert on munitions and not even competent to identify the weapons here that these women carry. Still, I'd bet that they have little access to anti-tank weapons and anti-aircraft shoulder-fired missiles as the Americans, under Turkish Pressure, have refused to supply much more than nigh vision goggles and light arms to Kurds. Now, with Kurds rescuing the desperate Yazdi victims of ISIS domination massacres and occupation, doubtless, better weapons will be forthcoming. Nevertheless, they will have to depend spoils of war to have much heavier and more advanced weaponry.

Asher

These are some fantastic photos. They show the way of life in this part of the world.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Thanks Jerome for reminding us of this important series.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Jerome,

Why do we so often see the women Peshmerga fighters?

[Peshmerga (Sorani Kurdish: پێشمەرگە‎, Kurmanji: Pêşmerge), meaning Those who face death[25] are the military forces of the autonomous region of Kurdistan Region of Iraq (Wikipedia).]

Just so unusual for armies to have such all female infantry units!

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

Jerome,

Why do we so often see the women Peshmerga fighters?

[Peshmerga (Sorani Kurdish: پێشمەرگە‎, Kurmanji: Pêşmerge), meaning Those who face death[25] are the military forces of the autonomous region of Kurdistan Region of Iraq (Wikipedia).]

Just so unusual for armies to have such all female infantry units!

Asher

Because it is unusual, especially in the West European psyche, to see female fighters associated with the Middle West. Of course, the west Europeans have little knowledge of the diversity of the Middle West.

 

[James Lemon]

Now days these wars are mostly economic. They all have sophisticated weapons such as drones that can bring a country to its knees in a short period of time.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Now days these wars are mostly economic. They all have sophisticated weapons such as drones that can bring a country to its knees in a short period of time.

I wonder, Jérôme, what the balance might be between ethnic divides and economics, there?

Certainly the Kurds are separate peoples from the Turks, Iranians and Iraqi Arabs. They want autonomy and their own homelands. So their fight is ethnic. Now with oil they also have a sustainable economy.

Then the Shite Alawi minority in Syria is propped up by Shia and Iranians-finances Hezbollah, with Russia geopolitically feeding like gulls behind a factory fishing trawler!

But, the women fighters of the Peshmerga have my admiration for their steadfastness, unity and bravery!

Asher

 

[Jerome Marot]

I have no idea about the details of the situation as it is extremely complex, sorry.

 

[nicolas claris]

These are some fantastic photos. They show the way of life in this part of the world.

Or might be the way of death…