Military Photographer

foodpoison

foodpoison

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Sean
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I've always had an interest in joining the army - my grandad told me when I was little (much to the dislike of my parents) that every man should join the army once in their life, since it is an experience that everyone should go through to better themselves as a person.

I have seen the military photographs taken, and I feel it's something I should look into considering my interest.

It is a very vague interest, I don't know much about the army, there is very little chance that I'll actually join, but I'll be leaving college next year, and I want to look at all kinds of career paths that involve photography.

If anyone has any experience or information on military photographers, please let me know. Thanks :)
 
There is one on here, the name escapes me bit his pics are something else! Superb.
 
That's the fella! :thumbs:
 
You could also explore doing it through the TA?
 
Reckon Rob is the only military type 'tog on here ... :shrug: ... bit unique he is ... :suspect: ... in oh so many ways ... :D



Good luck with your future choices though ... :thumbs:







:p
 
Hi,
I was in the army until last year. I have a mate who is a Military Photographer. I know that selection was hard! They only take on a few each year, and its a case of dead mans boots, places don't become available until someone leaves the unit, based in Lydd and Hive.

Most of the photos that you see are from guys that aren't Military photographers, but guys that have a keen interest in photography. The Army holds Photographic comps.

I'm unsure about the TA, but you will have to join a normal army unit, and then transfer to the Army photography unit. This won't happen for at least 2 years, they like you to serve time in a unit before getting the luxury of being posted away.

Hope that helps, I'm sure the Serving Military Phot/Combat Cameraman will be more helpful.

Good luck
 
Quote from a Canadian Military photographer SGT. Frank Hudec:

He’s had two base photo unit postings — the first in 1991 — taking soldiers’ passport photos, group pictures and shots of the brass. During six years in the “big factory” that is the DND headquarters’ photo unit in Ottawa, his overseas stints began between assignments shooting official portraits.

Full article,...
Click to expand...

Its not all front line action as a military photographer. I looked into doing it after my pilot training fell through 2 years in. There is a lot of mundane work and someone has to do it. I never signed the transfer and left the forces and made it by myself. Though looking back, even looking now, I am considering joining up over here. It has always sat on my mind,... Let me know how you get on.

Dan.
 
Don't know about the Army, but you can join up directly as a photographer in the RAF. It's a tri-service training school, currently based at RAF Cosford. 9 weeks basic training at Halton, then ~6months at Cosford. All the photo sections were using Nikon kit, mostly D200's - but they are all trained on film as well.

Get in touch with the photo section at your local Army/RAF/Navy base - I'd imagine they'd be more helpful with general questions then the monkey in the careers office...
 
Thanks for the information guys. I'm looking forward to getting in touch with someone about it.
I'm going to go and get a degree in photography first. I don't particularly want to, because I know my photography would benefit more by getting experience, but I know how important a degree can be.
But after that, the world is my oyster. Gotta give everything a go!
 
Military photography is probably my favourite area of photography. I wish I had the balls to do it but not sure if I could handle some of the situations. I'm wondering though, if you are a military photographer a lot of what you photograph will be censored through an approval process. I know this is the case with the US Army, I have a friend who is a medic and served in Iraq, Korea and a few other places and everything he photographed was looked at first by military heads. I wonder if working for independent organizations that are attached to military units would be a better way of working?

There's a fair amount of military photography on flickr but most of it is positive and portrays the military in a positive light, which it should, but the result of this is you don't really see everything else that happens in a conflict zone.

Take a look at the Soldiers Media Center on flickr.





There are some amazing pictures in that photostream.
 
I think this is something I am seriously considering, especially because of the fact that I've always had an interest in the Armed Forces, even if it's just to sign up for a single contract.

Incredible photos in that soldiermediacenter's photostream.
 
Have a look at the Intelligence Corps.

They have photographers as well as trades that require photographic knowledge.

Best of luck.

Comus
 
My dads mate was a photographer in the RAF years ago, said how great a job it was. He went everywhere, all around the world.
 
There are a few military types on this forum, non that i know are official photographers, but all have experience of photography within the military.
Military Photographers are becoming very small trades, many units rely on people to be the duty phographer as a secondary duty. Its a wonderful opportunity, not one you'll come across easily within civvy street.

Oh, and the RAF beats the army hands down!!:razz:

:D
 
Try the Royal Military Police although the only photos I took when I was with them was speeding vehicles from a radar van in Germany in the 1960s.
Pete
 
I was concidering joining the RAF or Amy for photography, but decided against it as I didn't really want to get drawn into the army or RAF as i'd rather be a photojournlist. Eventually i'd love to shoot for an agency like Getty, Reuters or Associated Press in a warzone.

Don't think I could handle the censorship, would really annoy me.
 
8utters said:
Don't think I could handle the censorship, would really annoy me.
Click to expand...

Personally I think censorship is a good thing. Having images that carry extremely sensitive emotional content printed in mass, viewable to every member of the public isn't desirable. Images showing that what we are doing is for the better good outweighs images of violence and distress. As violence and distress is what we are trying to eliminate. This is a different kind of age compared to the 60's where every bit of blood and gore was printed in mass. In turn this had a huge negative effect as the hippies used it against the governments as protest material.
 
Dont qoute me...as i don't really have a clue...but i am under the impression that most of the "WAR" / contact pictures are taken by the lads and lasses themselves while they are OOA, there not gonna send a station tog to get you to smile while you have bullets flying your way. You would get all the ceremonial pics to do, parades and functions and get to follow up what groups are doing on your selected parent unit. Admittedly there are some great shots to be had which members of the public would not beable to get....but then again you would (As an official photographer for armed forces)..not beable to show them to anyone you like....!! Thats all i know....;)
 
Are you sure you understand the role of a photographer in the armed forces? A colleague of mine was a photographer in the Army a while ago. He spent most of his time covertly photographing people in Northern Ireland and the results of " incidents "
Army photographers are fully trained soldiers, they carry a gun and a camera, you might want to look here for some info.
Sounds a great job though, you just have remember what you are pointing at people before you "shoot"
Allan
 
Two Questions to ask yourself before joining the forces:

Does the thought of being Killed or the effects of that on your loved ones worry you very strongly?

Could you deal with having to Kill another human being?

Once you can answer no to both questions, then you might well be onto something.

Thats the advice my grandfather gave me...
 
allanm said:
Are you sure you understand the role of a photographer in the armed forces? A colleague of mine was a photographer in the Army a while ago. He spent most of his time covertly photographing people in Northern Ireland and the results of " incidents "
Army photographers are fully trained soldiers, they carry a gun and a camera, you might want to look here for some info.
Sounds a great job though, you just have remember what you are pointing at people before you "shoot"
Allan
Click to expand...

No, I don't fully understand the role of one! That's kinda why I started this topic. I love documentary photography, and I have wanted to join the army, and so I thought I should combine the two!
 
I'm a printer and have done work (several years ago) for a photographer who occasionally works for the military. He's an ex-soldier and as said above, they do carry guns.

Over the past month I've been working with him again, and he's recently back from a warzone. From what I can gather, each area has a photographer and they follow around a unit. It does sound like an amazing job but I think if you want to get anywhere near any action, you'll have to be in the army or at least army trained.
 
foodpoison said:
No, I don't fully understand the role of one! That's kinda why I started this topic. I love documentary photography, and I have wanted to join the army, and so I thought I should combine the two!
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I think that comment was meant for me........and as i said don't qoute me as i don't know....i was just putting down my own opinion.....i am aware that you are a soldier first and your trade comes second......but another point is that trades obviously differ and give different roles between the army, RAF and navy......so being an RAFphotographer would be different to an army one....I believe as already stated that army go as a unit or battelion (spl) the RAF don't do that as much . So it would be a case of looking at all the criteria before choosing which part of the armed forces you wish to join. Good luck though.....;)
 
foodpoison said:
No, I don't fully understand the role of one! That's kinda why I started this topic. I love documentary photography, and I have wanted to join the army, and so I thought I should combine the two!
Click to expand...

Sounds like you will get the best of both worlds then, I just wasnt sure you realised it was a combat role, but as Thekrikkitwars said, you need to be prepared to shoot and be shot at, especially if you want to capture the real action.

How about a visit to your local Army careers office? A lot of towns now have combined services recruitment centres, you could grill them all on the feasability of your chosen career path.

And, good luck, thats probably one of the most exciting ways to spend a day with a camera! But, a word of warning. If you take out a subscription to a web based photography hosting site, pay by the month!! :thumbs:

Allan
 
I did six years as a regular soldier after leaving school many many years ago.

I'd suggest you be very very cautious of this decision your facing FP ....be sure to realize your signing away all your human civil rights to become fodder for the army etc, they now 'own' you and you will NOT have the final word on you carrier, they will.

.......The army carriers centers will dodge and fake its interest in your future, they want you in as a soldier first, your secondary choice of becoming a photographer will be talked about and possibly waved in front of you as bait once they know its your ambition.

I'd put your chances (MY Guess) of becoming a military photographer similar to someone joining the civil services and hoping to become 007 or even the PM.


:thumbs:
 
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