Swansea Life
nice that footage could be used, and that there
is a record of these men for their children. But it
“I SImPLY SeeK
captures the good and ugly sides of war. The
images that are released are vetted by the
was for such a sad reason. It was very difficult Army’s internal press team, but Jon says he is
covering their funerals.”
TO CAPTuRe THe
constantly pushing the boundaries of what is
released. Sometimes he is successful.
Jon, from West Cross, was initially a military
policeman. He first discovered an interest in
TRuTH. WHAT I dO
“As a cameraman, I understand the power of
photography while working in Northern Ireland,
gathering evidence at riots.
IS A ReCORd OF
the media and what I produce. Sometimes you
question of the morality of things. But that is why
He met an Army photographer and he realised
THe ReALITY OF
I simply seek to capture the truth. What I do is
a genuine record of the reality of the army and
it was what he wanted to do. A portfolio and
rigorous selection process later, he transferred
THe ARmY ANd
warfare.”
into the Royal Logistics Corps and was sent on
The concept of Army photography was born
an intense photography training programme.
WARFARe.”
in the First World War. Cameramen and other
experts working at Pinewood studios were
He now travels the world documenting Army dispatched to use their expertise for the cause.
activities. His latest tour of Afghanistan was his
to those of the troops he follows. “There is no
One well-known former Army photographer was
second time there, and his next trip is to Kenya,
bullshit. I don’t say I won’t get in the first car
the journalist and broadcaster Alan Whicker. The
where soldiers train before they are sent to
because it is the most likely to get blown up. You
unit was disbanded after the Second World War,
Afghanistan. As one of the British Army’s 40
take the same risks,” he says.
but reformed in the 1970s.
photographers, he has also documented many
He says the scariest encounter he had was when
other Army events, including snowboarding,
the platoon ran out of ammunition during a fire
Now on leave in Swansea and awaiting his
following the special forces, and funerals. fight with the Taliban, and literally had to run back
next deployment, Jon is also considering future
to base. “The brief was to suppress the enemy
projects.
He says the soldiers welcome and appreciate
and retreat back to the fort. I didn’t realise the
having a photographer in their ranks. It boosts
Some of his work has captured the imagination
only way back was on foot!”
moral and “everyone likes a nice picture of
globally and he has been interviewed by CNN
themselves, especially if it goes in the local Jon says his goal as a photographer is to be
about his work. He now wants to write a book
paper”. But he stresses that he too is first and impartial and truthful in the pictures he takes,
about his experiences and also get more involved
foremost a trained soldier, and takes risks equal and not dramatise them in any way. His work
in other forms of photography.
swansealife September 2009 17
warphotography.indd 17 24/08/2009 12:06:02
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