11/11/2017
I am often asked, “With all the images that are taken and shared on the internet, don’t you find it hard to make your work known?”
I’ve thought really hard about that question. And the conclusion I have come to is, I don’t want my work to be about “me.” I want the people that I photograph to be known. I am simply a storyteller through the images I take. My job is to convey an emotion the subject is feeling and connect with the viewer. One of my all-time favorite portraits is of Sir Winston Churchill, by Yousuf Karsh. The story behind the iconic ‘bulldog’ expression will forever be the perfect depiction of the Prime Minister that unarguably saved the United Kingdom from N**i Germany.
Now, I am no Yousuf Karsh by any stretch. However, this year, I have begun to focus on projects that are important to me. At the peak of the VA hospital scandals, I was left frustrated with the poor treatment of our veterans. I had read more and more of the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and, to my understanding, how little is done to help our veterans return to civilian life. However, I did not know what I could do about it. I have no military background, I don’t have any medical experience, nor any influence to get the public to take action. I felt I wanted to focus my photography in transitioning military life returning back to citizen life.
I had the honor of meeting Sergeant Tyler Moore of the 101st Airborne Division. He served in Iraq from 2007-2008 and in Afghanistan from 2010-2011. We first met at my studio in Atlanta in March 2017. I explained the goal of this project and how I want to understand a veteran’s transition back into civilian life. The interview began giving his experiences starting basic training in one of the coldest winters only to be deployed in one of the hottest places on Earth. Much of his tour in Iraq were patrols. Most of the intense conflicts in Iraq took place in prior to his deployment. However, his deployment in Afghanistan was something I was not mentally prepared for in my interview. Afghanistan was a very different area compared to Iraq and the fire fights occurred more and became more intense. He told me the story during a patrol at which a soldier who stepped on an IED and unfortunately died. He told the story in such a raw way I was completely shocked and unprepared of my emotions that soon followed.
He began to discuss his difficulties transitioning back into civilian life. He said from the day you step into basic training, you are taught to be extremely attentive to your surrounding areas. It is something that is drilled into you and it is not something that can easily be turned off. He explained to me that simply going to a restaurant and already know exit points and strategies for defending oneself should an enemy come walking through the front doors. Surprised by this, I asked, “Why doesn’t the VA or the Army help with this?” To my ignorance, Tyler explained there are programs that assist but the problem is complex. Some programs don’t help enough, other times, programs aren’t effective because combat veterans bury their problems and choose not to talk about their hardships. It is a difficult balance between the two.
Not only did Tyler do an awesome job giving an interview, his wife, Valerie, provided some amazing insight of the struggles she dealt with being an Army wife. She shared eye opening experiences at which there would be several days they would not be in contact, watching the news of instances of US casualties from Afghanistan and waiting for Tyler to call and just to hear his voice and to hear he was okay. It was a very stressful time for her. She is an incredibly strong woman to endure all that. She said she couldn’t have done it without faith in Christ.
We proceeded to the portrait session. I wanted it to be simple. A portrait of Tyler in his civilian clothes. On the outside, he looks just like us. However, he carries the burden of a serviceman. This is not something that is seen. At the end of the session, Tyler said something that I did not expect. He said that it was therapeutic for him. I was completely struck to think that my photography was helpful for him. As a result of this, I have begun looking at using my photography to provide therapy to a persons’ struggles. This is a new project that I intend to investigate for many years to come.
I will close with this: Even though the battles on the field for our veterans are over, many are still fighting the effects of combat and the hell these veterans have gone through. They are still fighting the big fight, even here back at home. What these brave men and women have sacrificed for their country is nothing short of heroic. To Tyler and to all veterans, I personally want to thank you for your service and sacrifice for this country. God bless you all.
