Does this sound like a nightmare or your dream job:
Picture this – You’re over 8,000 miles from home and not one person around you speaks your language. Although you normally live at sea level, today you find yourself working at an elevation of over 9,000 feet in 25 below zero temperatures.
You’re over 18 hours by car, from where you are going to sleep tonight – that’s if the mountain pass were open. However that pass will remain snowed in and impassible for at least another 3 months. Even if it where open, the road itself is to dangerous for you to travel on anyway.
Lal, Afghanistan
Your equipment manufacturers have told you that you are well outside of their operational cameras;
Your insurance company has told you that they won’t cover your gear, because you’re in a country that the US is at war with;
And most of your friends have told you that you’re out of your mind for even trying to pull off such a project. And if that’s not enough you’re kneeling on a snow covered air strip with a camera on your shoulder, while a single engine airplane is screaming towards you, flying so low, that you’d be able to touch it’s tires, if you’d just raise your hand …
Wake up in a cold sweat? Or do you live for this stuff!
I am a still photographer. Have been for 20 years. I have no formal photography training, but I cut my teeth assisting with the top fashion photographers like Richard Avedon, Arthur Elgrth
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Bogdan, true – most people thought I was out of my mind for even trying – of course now they are the same people that think this project is the best thing since sliced bread. Stay tuned – this post is the introduction to a series – the next one comes out on Monday!
Really nice post! The real challenge isn’t overcoming the challenge itself, but rather overcoming all the naysayers who want to discourage you. In my experience people are very eager to tell you you can’t do something, but it’s always worthwhile to try it out for yourself. Whether you win or fail, you’ll always come out on top with new confidence and new skills. I’m glad to see someone talking about the challenges from a more human perspective rather than a technical one. Great job! :)
John, the road less traveled produces some killer content that is unique and hard to copy. Keep on dreaming – I look forward to meeting you soon.
Tom, happy to hear that this inspired you too. Keep up the good work and dream big!
Pascal, your post illustrates that there in dreams there is opportunity. The possibility needs to add a character with courage to face the unknown and a willingness to act; that is what where the dreamer and the achiever part paths. As so well penned by Robert Frost the road less traveled makes all the difference. Congrats on this dream; I’m looking forward to hearing of the next horizon.
Nice read Pascal … after seeing how you pulled off that job, it’ll help me with renewed confidence to tackle my next shoot in the wilds of corporate America. Without the snow and cold! Tom