I first visited Afghanistan in 2003, soon after the ousting (relocation) of the Taliban by the international coalition. Back then, Kabul seemed empty, after years of wars; refugees had left for Iran and Pakistan and had not the confidence yet to return. But those who were there were welcoming, and I grabbed a few portraits along the way. Taken on film, boxes of which lie in my garage, they were mostly rubbish.
Between 2009-2012 I spent a year living in Kabul, and travelled the country extensively, taking portraits amongst much else. In 2010 I was commissioned by the Government of Afghanistan to create a body of work for the Kabul International Conference. During the final editing of the portfolio, I was asked by the then Minister of Finance, why were there no pictures of women in the portfolio. I replied that the photo essay was entirely representative of Afghanistan.
So this portfolio is representative of the 50% of Afghans who can be photographed. I can't say I am ashamed, I tried repeatedly to photograph women but alwlays failed. But what these images do show are the beautiful faces of some of the wonderful people I met, drawn from five major ethnicities that range from the farthest lands of northern Asia, west all the way to Iran.
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/7c943dc732c1affa5f397940_rw_1200.png?h=30188b2e2ea40fc9b625c520c43ba4dd)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/919e43cd175257f14420c6fa_rw_1200.png?h=53bb6817b5fa899f3a0c025d8ebd958e)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/8f5a1862a9a17b781b882f1c_rw_1200.png?h=fcd547c13def8eb11bfeba9e52f78d34)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/2292e5e205c4254b3860a8e5_rw_1200.png?h=8af6b786beb5749b3f8d04d4388a1e07)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/93df01654d5501be5f634732_rw_1200.png?h=0a702440f10c88a46c24e55a080162fb)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/0036e143e24ccf1abe4c58ab_rw_1200.png?h=104f0ff782f989ee610287289c63dd57)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/5e333c1a87b7627e723c0b52_rw_1200.png?h=3d28ca02a97fcb4f8bf88e9f38ea76be)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/0bc2f10c87f447a0dbe65d22_rw_1200.png?h=16a1d8cb8ba123404a3a6bcf6249f794)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/7c2ca3cce21849ad3bed4b8a_rw_1200.png?h=f095df62ad23e5170c91e61ef3ae0ac8)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/06f6be8b-d376-4111-a773-c8700810a293_rw_1200.jpg?h=2503ea86b65a13ccc6e010dd3fa2b3f0)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/34adfc99c988f66af66eb455_rw_1200.png?h=e7c2b755efc45cd9a8fe3a8e68a342ea)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/c2d355c8e7305967dcf319f9_rw_1200.png?h=494c0241d203722e4c3e8c6e3c533e6b)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/f36efead2078e350cbb09dc0_rw_1200.png?h=ff34a43f7eee0653765e0fffe5016fb6)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/0e17dc683ebc5eaf1484a100_rw_1200.png?h=58fbaa9101508ed936f12f05dd8023ea)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/053d36a78f78dfd4f2e31e5f_rw_1200.png?h=3fdaa7fded00faa007247106b8d429db)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/93681bce5603606a05bc9ed7_rw_1200.png?h=3d054da593fcd28ff3b4577a12b16922)
![](https://cdn.myportfolio.com/8942d6798f63518426896393176e3fe0/29b69268111a4d27ac4f2392_rw_1200.png?h=6d63162632c9e88eb68589bfb80535c5)