Photojournalism 2nd place winner

These images are portraits of my peers, soldiers and fellow NCOs, taken while deployed for 9 months in Kabul, Afghanistan from 2016 to 2017. We were 29 members of the Army New York National Guard posted as a personal security detail for key leaders within the Middle Eastern Theatre. While deployed I wanted to capture images from a deployment that were more personal and atypical of most documentary work. I had a personal interest because I lived the same experience, the fears, the boredom and even the fun. There is a huge part of me in every portrait.

I work as a camera assistant in reality television in New York City. I have worked on several Food Network shows, including Beat Bobby Flay and Brunch with Bobby, as well as, Comic Book Men for AMC and Forged in Fire on the History Channel. I am also a member of the Army New York National Guard and recently returned from a deployment in Afghanistan. The images submitted are portraits of my peers overseas where we worked as a personal security team for key theatre leaders in Kabul.