In the middle of confict - interview with Jason P. Howe

Why did you choose the career of photojournalist? What is exciting about this job?
- I spent many years as a travel photographer and eventually became bored with it and wanted to do something that I felt had more value.

What are the most important things in photojournalist’s career?
- It varies from person to person. For many it is about telling untold or hidden stories, for other it is simply a fascinating job that allows one to witness history being made, first hand.

Are you interested only in war photography or any other kinds of photography?
- Conflict photography has held my attention for a long time but I also love the kind of work done by National Geographic etc. too.

In which country did you meet the most unusual people?
- There are 'unusual' people everywhere. I found the Colombian people to be amongst the most friendly and open people I have ever met. The people of Afghanistan always impress me with their resilience.

You’ve seen the most dangerous places in the word. How do you find yourself in common life?
- I tend to get very 'frustrated' in 'normal' life. The tiny problems that people allow to overwhelm them seem so inconsequential compared to what people in war or disaster zones are coping with. The appetite for violence as entertainment and the almost rabid consumerism also can seem quite offensive after spending time with the real victims of violence and those who have no possessions and few prospects.

What was the scariest situation you have had so far?
- It is hard to say what has really been the most scary situation but when my hotel in Baghdad was destroyed by a double suicide bomb attack whilst I was in it I did think for a few moments that maybe I was going to die there. It was one of those times that your life flashes through your mind and think about any regrets you might have and what you will do if you survive.

How do you manage to get into the middle of a conflict?
- That varies from place to place, in a place like Colombia there is a fully functional country with pockets of conflict here and there, one simply travels to those zones and meets up with the fighters from one side or the other. Somewhere like Iraq in 2003 was very different, I had to drive from Jordan across the desert to Baghdad and start finding my way around a country that rapidly descended into chaos over the 2 years I spent there. Sometimes the conflict come to you.

How do you feel and control your emotions in extreme situations?
- I try and stay calm and keep reminding myself why I am there and that t has been my choice to be in the situation. There is no one else to blame if it goes wrong. Generally one has to bury ones emotions in difficult or horrible moments so that you can continue to work. the idea is to deal with it all later but that often does not happen, the emotions remain buried for a long time. There can be 2 outcomes, some people eventually become emotionally dead and have almost no response to anything others break down and all the stored up negative emotions pour out.

Do you keep friendly relations with other photojournalists? Do you cooperate with them?
Many of my best friends are photojournalists, we meet up over and over again in different places around the world. We do sometimes share information and contacts or resources but I don't often shoot alongside other photographer since I really prefer to work alone when I can.

What influences your decisions to choose countries you travel to?
- There have been two things that have influenced my choices of destination. I went to Colombia and returned many times over the years to tell a story that I really cared about and wanted to do a thorough job on. Place like Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan have been more current stories where I have been working for clients on news and feature stories, I don't feel the same 'connection' to those places or conflicts as I have with Colombia.

Where do you plan to go next?
- I will be returning to Afghanistan in a few days for the next few months to produce some features for magazines and then later this year I want to go back to Colombia and restart my coverage there with the concept of making it my life's work to continue documenting the conflict and the countries search for peace.

By Michał Mazik and Karolina Przesmycka

Official website of Jason P. Howe: conflictpics.co.uk