My photo book on Fallujah, Iraq

[Phil_F_NM]

As many here know, I was an independent duty combat photographer in the US Navy attached to NMCB-4 (Hoorah Seabees!) from 2003-2005.
In August of 2004 I deployed with the 'Bees to Fallujah, Iraq and worked to show the infrastructure work the battalion was doing. We worked with the deployed battalions of the 1st Marine Division as well as US Army combat engineers among others. I was in-country from August, 2004 until the first week of January, 2005.

This last few months I have been working on compiling a book of photos that I took with my Leicas while there (my work camera was a Nikon D2h.)
It's finally done and I'm putting this out to hopefully generate a buzz to get a sense of the viability of doing a first print run of at least 30 copies. As the book is 166 pages, the cost on Blurb.com is prohibitive for the would-be buyer and I don't want to price the book out of reach.

So here it is:
http://issuu.com/phil_forrest/docs/fallujah_a_photographers_perspective

Feel free to let me know what you think of it and next week I think I'm going to begin taking orders.

Thanks all!
Phil Forrest

 

[raid]

Do you have good thoughts and memories of the Iraqi people in Falluja? I am sure that you cannot just think of photography when going to an invaded country.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

That was a part of the story which I sorely missed. I had contact with Iraqi people but not too many photos. The climate there was very tense and a local Iraqi to be seen with an American military member could mean a death sentence for that person and their family. I did get a few chances to meet some of them but did not photograph them out of fear for their lives as well as general respect. I do have a page of writing in the book about how much I respected the brave men and women who were working with us but aside from photos of those people working directly with us, I don't have any of the locals in the countryside. I wish I did. I will go back one day, I swear. It was such a beautiful region and the dichotomy of combat as well as the decay of the Hussein regime was in stark contrast to the landscape and the people.

Phil Forrest

 

[raid]

Hi Phil,
Good luck with your book. Now, Iraq is like Iran.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Raid,
Thank you very much! One of these days I want to return to the region and not have to worry about safety any more than I have to worry here in Philadelphia.

Phil Forrest

 

[Gary Briggs]

Wonderful, thanks
Hope to see the region some day...

 

[Calzone]

That was a part of the story which I sorely missed. I had contact with Iraqi people but not too many photos. The climate there was very tense and a local Iraqi to be seen with an American military member could mean a death sentence for that person and their family. I did get a few chances to meet some of them but did not photograph them out of fear for their lives as well as general respect.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

This is another great insight that needs to be expressed and says a lot. Artistically this negative space needs to be conveyed by perhaps a blank page or empty rectangle. I see text on one page and an empty space on the next page.

Realize that this book may bit of a work in progress at this point.

BTW I'm almost done writing a book length memoir that deals with unresolved grief that I began writing after September 11th. It has taken over a decade to write. Eventually something evolves and it will be done. I've been on the last chapter for about a year. Already I have an agent friend who wants to read my manuscript.

You were wise in allowing some time to process such a big event. Now is not the time to rush IMHO.

The Center For Book Arts could be a great help and guidance.

Cal

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I've been searching for printers for the last 6 months for the book. My local printer in Philly has dropped the ball on this several times but I appreciate his situation. Mine would have been a small order of maybe 10 prints just to have them.
All day today I spent reformatting the book and sizing it to one of Blurb's standard templates. I finished after about 9 hours of work. I still have to do the jacket but within a few hours I should have it uploaded to Blurb.com and have at least one copy ordered.
I can't wait to see it in hardback form.

Phil Forrest

 

[ChrisN]

Wow - very sobering stuff.

 

[_goodtimez]

Falluja

Falluja

Phil, nice book. I love.
I was myself in the Gulf war and Afghanistan. I'm still in the business and may go any day on requirement.
Check this interesting song: Falluja
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km593zbzZ8E&feature=related

 

[boomguy57]

Nice book, I especially liked the scans of the journal at the front. They give the book a visceral feel. It feels like it's not quite the finished article, and by the end you could have something really special.

However, I'd agree with a previous commenter about negative space. The book can feel cluttered at times, with every page taken up with something. Perhaps makes some of the full-pages of text a bit smaller font, or leave a page opposite a photograph blank...something to break it up a bit. I'm not a pro, but it's just my thoughts on it.

 

[oftheherd]

Nice photos. I enjoyed it. I wish I had taken more photos when I was in Vietnam. Curiosly, I recently ran across some slides I thought destroyed in a fire. I hope to put them through a projector soon. Things like that can mean a lot in later life. Consider a copyright.