Afghanistan Life
Renown adventure photographer, Claudia Camila López, was recently asked to share some of her top images from Afghanistan, which she captured across three separate trips to the war-torn country in 2013, 2015 and 2016. It’s no surprise that Claudia, a highly successful Himalayan climber, was naturally drawn to Afghanistan’s rugged Hindu Kush mountains and the surrounding high altitude desert landscape. She’s also no stranger to living in conflict zones and moving through kinetic or hostile environments with her camera.
Photo: ©claudialopezphotography
“I grew up in a county where war and armed conflict were background music for me,” explains Claudia, who was born and raised in Colombia, a country which has endured unprecedented violence across the decades. “I felt a strong commonality with Afghanistan and with the people. It was familiar. People's anguish and war zone daily life were not foreign to me,” she explains.
Claudia spent nearly three months in Afghanistan, photographing in and around Kabul and throughout Parwan, Herat and Nangarhar Provinces, some of which became more perilous (especially for journalists) when NATO forces pulled out in 2014. The NATO vacuum brought on an increase in armed conflict and the Taliban’s influence over rural pockets of the country—and especially over women.
Photo: ©claudialopezphotography
While Claudia appreciates conflict reporting and war photography, she aligns more with the daily experience. “There is an entire life that I’m interested in, both visually and intellectually, which we rarely see,” explains Claudia, who has also chronicled daily life in the Himalayan regions of Nepal and Kashmir and other global hot spots like Azerbaijan, Armenia, Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan.
In Claudia’s photographic essay, her artistic use of low and soft-warm light is a distinct creative treatment: “Afghanistan is high desert. My photos strive to capture everyday Afghans in Kabul’s magic hour of golden light and lifting sand.” But it’s the images of women floating towards us like ghosts—in signature powder blue Burkas—juxtaposed unveiled young women painting their lips, looking into mirrors, at us, which arguably stands out most.
Photo: ©claudialopezphotography
“There is this entire generation born in let’s say, 2001 and beyond, who were raised with the idea that they could dream big and become whatever they wanted. Women believed they could work as nurses, educators – even be on athletic teams. There was a hasty emergence of globalization and western values. Now all the sudden, there is this return to the Taliban and their archaic ways of governing,” explains Claudia, who hopes her work can empower young Afghan women by drawing attention to Ascend Athletics (more below).
“For Afghanistan, the amalgamation of fear and hope, love and angst, uncertainty and contentment, drive the lives of most who stayed behind, the ones who missed the last flight’s call, the border crossings. What a person does in the midst of it all—that is what inspires me the most,” she adds.
Afghanistan | A Photo Essay by Claudia Camila López (26 images) ©claudialopezphotography
While the dramatic events of the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan have somewhat settled, the country is still an unfolding humanitarian crisis and an urgent concern for women. Claudia, along with the support of Ramro Global, is drawing public attention and resources to support Ascend Athletics which helps Afghan women reach their potential through comprehensive leadership and athletic training programs. Ascend, founded in 2015, has recently pivoted to become a humanitarian initiative to serve these same young women, to resettle them permanently in countries worldwide and provide ongoing financial support. Learn more by visiting their website and consider donating to Ascend’s emergency fundraiser at Help Rescue Our Afghan Girls.
Story & Interview by Jordan Campbell