Day After Christmas in Basra

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Camp Basra - After my holiday shot I made it to a Christmas Mass on the British Part of Camp Basra. Guns were not left at the door. At a mass a week before sirens went off and everyone hit the ground. Christmas Eve proved to be quite as most days are here in Basra I have been told. The Brits are passing the reigns to the Americans more and more. By the summer the camp will be predominately American.
Christmas on the camp-my first full day being in one place. I went for coffee with a group from my company and they exchanged guns with the Brits. Christmas lunch was festive occasion-many wore party hats, some with antlers. After lunch, there was a football match between my company and another. Best of all was going on a mail run-filling half a van with A Christmas mail and photographing the joy of people

Tomorrow I’ll start shooting the Guard, doing what they do. Signing off before the on and off Internet connection in the mess hall cuts me off.

Xmass eve portrait shoot

On Christmas Eve in Basra at Camp Charlie I shot portraits for the troops to email to their families. All the members of the 2228th MP company who wanted to pose did so, at Camp Charlie in Basra- at Camp Basra which is still run by the British. Phin Percy Jr. made a video of me in action. It aired on Fox 8 in New Orleans and was well received. I'll post a link to it when I get it. Attached are some of the portraits. A few people who protested the most that they wouldn't do it, ended up being the biggest hams. In the end the shoot brought some joy to the troops. They enjoyed teasing who ever was next up in my makeshift studio.

For the troops Christmas is hard, as it makes them miss their loved ones more then usual. All the same there was a festive mood in the mess hall the next day during Christmas lunch- which was proceeded by a football game in what was once a mine field. 

Soldiers in silly hats and christmas decorations did the trick. I was one of my most memorable Christmases yet.

Xmass eve in Basra

Made it to Baghdad- and on to Basra in time to do my X Mass holiday shoot of the National Guard- for them- as my gift to them.
Images to follow after this post. Travel here was intense to say the least- had to take the RHINO line back to camp Victory.
It is a 20 mile ride, one of the most dangerous routes in the world-though not really anymore sure some route in Afghanistan must be worse...... 4 helicopters circled the convey ( armored buses with MRAP- mine resistant armored protective) as we drove to BIAP. No sleep at all that night, as we went from bus stop to airport and then caught the first plane out to Basra - AC130 this time. Had to wear the Kevlar gear the whole hour flight. Kind of feels like what I image being entombed would be like. My vest weight about 30 plds.
After getting acclimated and sleeping a couple hours, Phin and I kicked into high gear and got Xmas eve shoot set up.
At first some of the soldiers didn’t want to have their picture taken-but by the end most consented happily and even wore my velvet Santa Claus hat. Phin was able to get the photo uploaded to Fox 8 in New Orleans-no small feet.( think it should be on their website but not sure)

Christmas Day- I’ll be shooting the football game they are playing here at Camp Charlie and adding more to blog later-including a video clip if I can pull it off.

images- 2228 th MP company at Camp Charlie, a Christmas tree on a Hesco barrier- on xmass
me at tourist attraction in Bagdad in the Green ZOne , Sadam's Swords- where rallys were held