I suppose I should post more of my photos. Here is one of Somalia. ©RYP
Iraq
Chechnya
Liberia
Burma
Afghanistan
Libya
Bangladesh
My favorite photos are of people I met, talked with and asked if I took take their photos. All places and moments in time that will never be repeated.
I shoot color. Here is a Kajamor militia member in Sierra Leone. He insists he is invisible and bulletproof. ©RYP
My bodyguard in Grozny. He likes knives
Surrounded with Liberian rebels in Voinjama. I was more intrigued by the color and structure than the incoming RPGs.
Sometimes you see a face that has to be photographed. This is when I was looking for Bin Laden in the tribal areas.
This is what three weeks of constant combat does. Paul was just doing what SF does in Afghanistan.
One of Colombia's foreground folks when they blow up drug labs.
Once in a while I get egocentric and photograph my shoes. This was in Borneo.
This man wrote a song and a prayer to Dostum for being rescued from the abuses of the taliban. He broke down crying. But moments like this stick in your head. They need to be captured.
They get to use the 50's cals I get to use the 50mm. Trolling for rebels in Colombia.
A few weeks ago this man in Libya told me how Haftar's people took his children and murdered them. He adopted orphans to fill the empty space in his heart. He cried so much when telling his story it was hard to keep filming. But these stories need to be recorded. For his sake
I spent two years focusing on migrants and their struggle to find safety and economic hope. Rather than focus on the dead babies and grieving parents it's important to capture images that communicate hope.
There is the weak and there is the strong. Bonding with friends after nighttime missions in the mountains. Some moments deserve a photo.
Sometimes I take photos of people because I know they are going to disappear. I also brought him a medic and food. His parents never thanked me.
Understanding image makers are important. I had to find the artists who painted or sculpted Saddam. They had some funny stories. Images shape our opinions.
Rambo is a Burmese monk in a rebel camp who told how he stopped people at gunpoint to get a ride.
Sometimes in the middle of violence a single image is chilling. This is one of the Nuer White Army burning and looting Malakal. They had been killing government soldiers by sticking spears in their anuses. War is not pretty.
Sometimes I like the light despite the seriousness of the conversation. This is the man who kept Qaddafi's body in his meat locker. He hosts energetic BBQs during which everyone gets heated about politics.
That same light can also look like a painting. So I take a photo. South Sudanese rebel camp.
In closing, a photo can be many things but it is universal. So I will keep filming and taking photos.

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More from @RYP__

27 Mar
The govt of Mozambique kicked out journalist Tom Bowker for reporting and is clamming up about the massacre in Palma. When the people involved tell their story there will be anger and questions about the failure to provide the most basic security. zitamar.com/palma-hotel-es…
Jasmine covers events in Cabo Delgado and provides data for ACLED. She provides a few insights and a disturbing photo from a help of trapped people asking for help from a violent group intent on deliberate slaughter.
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Read 4 tweets
27 Mar
Artist Billy Tucci drew and wrote a story about an American/Asian brigade sent to Bastogne to rescue embattled US troops. Then he added SGT Rock. But he fell in love with the real story about men who risked it all. Image
This is why I wanted to work with Billy for my graphic novel. Respect. nvcfoundation.org/newsletter/200…
Real people doing real things even if they are not the stereotypes we created. Roll Hard (True Stories from "licensed to kill, Hired guns in the war on terror") amazon.com/dp/1940418003/…
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26 Mar
Media on media violence. Joe has been mopping up the results of four years of vandalism and neglect. He even exceeded his promiese to keep Americans alive. Lets hope he has some to time to Defund Fuckery washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/…
Sleepy Joe is doing exactly what America needs. Keeping the shiny side up and the greasy side down. I expect Florida Man to issue an edict from the fetid mildew and aqua velva tinged swamps declaring a national disaster. Oh and a backyard sermon from the mount from Jr.
meanwhile in Reality World, that old TV failed Casino guy who used to be presidents might catch a bad case of RICO. businessinsider.com/trump-organiza…
Read 4 tweets
26 Mar
Latest from the fighting in Palma, Cabo Delgado. Apparently Ukrainian mercenary pilots just hit a column of Moz soldiers by mistake and despite getting caught dropping WMDs on civilians, Dyck is re-upping for another three months. #Clusterfuck? theguardian.com/world/2021/mar…
Older but good sitrep. If a 100 jihadis can move shoot, communicate, rob banks and take hostages, that's impressive. So we have an asymmetric conflict that is funded by control over assets and funding...with not much of a shit given for the locals. neptunep2pgroup.com/incident-alert…
Uh oh Early reports are saying that a Ukrainian mercenary in the Moz government Mi-24 shot down a FADM Mi-17. Also Dyck is not paying his pilots so the Mercenary Shit Show continues.
Read 8 tweets
25 Mar
I am intrigued that Jared has a charity that grifts donors supporting the need to fund lawsuits while the main ex-lawyer now insists that "no reasonable person" would believe their premise that the election was stolen in those lawsuits. Is that a con FBI? businessinsider.com/jared-kushner-…
But wait...there are "real" scammers raising money for fake cons, but not connected to the original grift. Can we get a white board and map this out? politico.com/news/2021/03/1…
Not to be confused with the real scam family PAC with arm twister Corey Lewandowski running the hustle for Florida Man and the Banjo Brigade. Part of the hustle is to sell the don's blessing for GOP candidates with no guarantees. Can Rudy get a taste? foxnews.com/politics/new-t…
Read 9 tweets
24 Mar
An optimistic concept that mercenary groups are subject to laws. An idea that has bled into politics. Unless laws are actually enforced, there are no laws. lawfareblog.com/what-laws-cons…
Like America's ultimate mercenary, enforcement of for profit groups might come down to "Hey....did you pay your taxes?" vanityfair.com/news/2021/03/d…
The last four years have seen bizarre and rogue mercenary operations conducted by players who keep assets off shore and use proxies to hide their financial involvement. theintercept.com/2020/04/13/eri…
Read 13 tweets

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