cpl steve blake rlc - turning pro magazine feature

7/30/2019 Cpl Steve Blake RLC - Turning Pro Magazine Feature

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A Fallen Hero. The

repatriation at RAF

Lyneham of a British

Armed Forces

Personnel killed

in service.


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We often see images of conflict shot by photojournalists, but rarely

by the Army itself. Some of the greatest photographers of the

20th century learnt their craft in the services, so Martin

Middlebrook spoke to an Army Photographer of the Year

finalist to find out more.

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orporal Steve Blake of the Royal

Logistic Corps is part of a team of

Army photographers based at HQ

Land Forces in Andover,

Hampshire. His job is to document daily life in the

Army, be it in the UK, or in theatres of conflict

around the world. He has worked in Afghanistan

three times, as well as covering duties across the

UK. I started by asking him how he had become an

Army photographer.

MM: Before you joined the Army, had you picked

up a camera and did you feel that you had anycreative leanings?

SB: I have always carried cameras, simply to

catalogue the life of those around me. It was a

matter of creating memories, mostly grabbed with

a simple point-and-press. It wasnt until I joined

the Army that I realised I had a creative interest in

photography as well before that I was just

documenting family life.

MM: I presume you joined the Army to fight for

your country and yet you find yourself in the rather

peaceful role of Army photographer. How did this

happen?

SB: I joined the Army in 1998, enlisting as a

Royal Signals telecommunications operator, whichmeant working with secure high-tech satellite

systems. I ended up training the troops at

Blandford Camp [in Dorset, headquarters of the

Royal Signals] for four years, and my interest in

photography became clear to me. We would be

planning and executing squadron-level exercises

and I got great enjoyment photographing the troops

on these exercises. I would then make copies of the

images and give them to the lads to show them.

Being young lads they loved to show their

girlfriends what they were getting up to.

MM: So you realised photography was becoming a

bigger part of your life; what happened next?

SB: At about the same time I had contacted an old

Army friend on Facebook and it turned out he was

an Army photographer. I didnt even realise the

role existed; they were the Armys best-kept secret.

I had no experience, which I knew would stand

against me, but I was determined to do it. So I

went out and bought myself some kit from eBay, a

Nikon D50, and set about teaching myself

everything I could, just to give myself the best

chance for selection. I photographed everyone I

knew, worked with a professional photographer

friend and even advertised on several sites offering

my services for free, just to get experience.

I went for an interview with the Armys Master

Photographer in November 2007 and although I

just missed out on that selection as I was a late

entry, he sent me away with a checklist to work on

composition, image interest etc. In January 2008

I went back and they put me on the one-week

selection course at the RAF Cosford Defence

School of Photography [in Shropshire]. The thing

about the course is that it not only tests your

photographic ability, but also your personality and

physical stamina the usual mile-and-a-half run,

numeracy and literacy test, 10-minute presentation,

all that rigmarole because they want to see you

have the confidence to stand up in front of 100

people you havent met before and organise them

as you want. So personality and confidence are key

factors for them, more so than pure skill.

MM: You demonstrated a passion that shone

through. I think photography is more about people

skills and you can teach all the technical stuff later.

Would you agree that the selectors were looking

for passion, confidence and people skills?

SB: Absolutely, but dont get me wrong, they still

want photographic skills. They only pick one or

two people a year to go on the eight-month

photography course. I was a nervous wreck for the

selection week. You are expected to knowSTEVE

BLAKE

C

Helmand Province, Afghanistan.Above: The Queens Offical Birthday Parade.

Opposite page: Exercise Wessex Warrior, a training aid

for soldiers deploying to Helmand Province.

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everything there is to know.

MM: So you obviously passed and its clear from

what you say that you probably have more

knowledge than many working professionals is

that a fair comment?

SB: In fact the BIPP [British Institute of

Professional Photography, the professions

governing body] visited us while I was on the

course and commented that we were the best-

trained, best-equipped photographic training

establishment in the country.

MM: Tell me a little about the eight-month course.

SB: The first three months are just solid theory.

You have to know everything, from the properties

of light, refraction, diffraction, everything you can

know about how the camera operates, going rightback to the first pinhole cameras, aperture,

everything. Its massive, three months solid.

A normal day is 8am to noon in the classroom

doing written theory and the afternoon working

practically on what you have learnt in the morning.

MM: I think its the best grounding you can

possibly have. The creative stuff you either have or

you dont, the technical stuff can be taught. If you

know that bit so well that you dont ever have to

think, you can get on with the business of taking

photographs.

SB: The course reflects that, the school is an NVQ

accredited centre as well. We are accredited at

NVQ level 3, as well as having advancedapprenticeship in digital imaging and a load of

other stuff. So the whole of Module 1 is the

technical stuff.

MM: So you know all your technical stuff but

ultimately photography is about a picture with a

solid narrative in it so the image can stand up by

itself. How much time do they spend teaching you

those photographic skills?

SB: Module 2 is the people phase, all practical,

where we learn to photograph people in every

conceivable format, be it portrait or event. The

final part, Module 3, is our formal news phase,

where we have 12 weeks of PR and news

photography. So events are organised for us to

attend. I was lucky enough to have Princess Anne

open an RAF memorial and it was my job to cover

it so you are taught the whole etiquette, where

you can stand, what we are shooting, who we are

shooting for, what your press restrictions are, and

the full brief of a typical job.

Basically we spend the last 12 weeks of the

course learning everything you need to know about

how to shoot for the press. At that point we have all

the technical bases covered, so we are thinking

about the specific needs of the shoot, what

newspapers require, and not worrying about shutter

speeds and ISO.

MM: So you finish your training, and pass, and

then they send you straight off to Helmand in

Afghanistan. Can you talk me though what a

typical day might entail out there?

SB: There is no typical day, which is one of the

things I love about the job. I have been to Helmand

three times and the last time we were working on

behalf of 10 Downing Street and the Foreign and

Commonwealth Office (FCO). They were looking

for images that showed the progression within

Afghan culture in Helmand Province. They were

mainly to be used for internal briefings by Prime

Minister David Cameron and for the Lisbon

Briefing [involving NATO heads of government in

2010]. Some of the stories we covered were to be

used for external publications as well. In fact it was

nice for the first time as a photographer not to have

to take military photographs.

So we went out visiting local people

photographing everyday life. We photographed

workers at a marble factory in Lashkar Gah with a

TV crew with us, part of the Army media team, all

of which is very different to being out with the

Lads in Green.

MM: Its interesting that you are now engaged in

photographing the real people of Afghanistan and

not just the military presence. Is there a move

within the Army to concentrate on the people as

much as they previously did on the forces?

SB: In a way yes. Everything we used to see on the

news was bombs and bullets, constant conflict.

But now we are looking at getting as much

imagery of Afghanistan returning to normality as

we can. Its important to show we are bringing

stability back. We are putting a lot of time into

training their Army, police force and so on. We are

working with teams that are funding projects to

build schools and hospitals which all aids our


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relationship with local people. So we document

that part of our role in Helmand, which also shows

people back at home the real Afghanistan.

The cement factory in Helmand is now booming

because the Army has secured the area from the

Taliban, and so all these things help the

relationship on the ground. So being able to

photograph and document this part of operations in

Afghanistan is key. Its important that we cover

both sides of the fence, military and real progress.

MM: Heres a question. At some point you get

briefed, presumably to go out and do a certain job.

One day you are photographing forces on the

ground, which fulfils one specific need, and you

have alluded to the fact that now you are

photographing Afghan people because that sends a

different kind of message. So how does the

briefing process work and are you told what the

political needs for the images are?

SB: The briefing process varies for each job. For

example the FCO and Downing Street media team

briefing for the work we have just

completed in Helmand is clear. Nine

times out of 10 we are aware of who

wants the images and why, whether its for

newspapers, or internal military requirements.

But the briefing process doesnt massively affect

how we shoot it because we are making sure we

document everything we are supposed to,

regardless. Cultural considerations, such as not

photographing women and children, are a bigger

influence on what and how we shoot.

But once we have photographed, everything has

to be cleared at a high level in the UK, from a

military security point of view before its ever

released to the press. They are the people at the top

of the chain who decide whether this is the type of

positive image we want to send to the media and

what effect this will have on public opinion.

In no way, shape or form do we do propaganda;

we shoot as it happens, and document the truth.

So we send the press the ideal image that supports

the story that we have been briefed to cover.

MM: So you shoot the story as it is, you send your

selection of images, and that understandably is

edited for the appropriateness of the message that

needs to go out?

SB: Its the same as if we were photographers in

civvy street, we shoot what is before our eyes, then

send the press our best edit of six to 10 shots.

MM: You are doing lots of civilian work now, but

presumably you have been out with your fellow

soldiers on patrol. At some point you must come

across difficult situations; how do you detach

yourself from being a military man yourself and

maintain the role of being a pure photographer?

TP

In no way, shape or form do we

do propaganda; we shoot as i

happens, and document the truth

So we send the press the

ideal image that supports the

story that we have been

briefed to cover

This page and opposite: These images

were shot as part of Steves work

shooting in Afghansitan.

STEVE

BLAKE


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SB: Although I have been out on the ground on

patrols, in all my time I have been lucky enough

not to have been in any sticky situations.

And although I have been out with the Counter-

IED [improvised explosive device] boys, I have

never really felt myself to be in an untoward

situation. There is, however, a very fine line; we

are soldiers first, but at the same time our training

is as photographers. We are a photographer who is

a soldier, and a soldier who takes photographs.

So we are both first. Its that very fine line that if

we do come under contact, in the back of my mind

I think, Well if I dont photograph this now, I cant

rewind and do it all again. You are there to

document that patrol doing what it does. But its

down to your discretion to decide now is enough,

its time to draw my weapon. We have a few

photographers in the trade who have actually gone

into compounds with bayonets fixed, because the

threat was going to come that close.

But at the same time if explosions are going off

and you havent got your camera up to your eye

you are going to miss it. This is prime imagery that

goes to the Imperial War Museum, and that people

can look at in years to come we cant miss it.

You just have to have great situational awareness.

MM: Its interesting that you say that you are

neither a photographer first nor a soldier first, but I

guess you must have visualised that at some point

you might have to put your camera down and pick

up your weapon?

SB: We carry the same kit as the troops on the

ground, so yes. We embed with the troops, eat with

them, share duties and that all helps with the bond.

So when you are all up close and personal sticking

your lens in their face, they dont think who is this

bloke? You are one of them.

Its key that when you are on patrol, they dont

look at you as a liability, they view you as a soldier,

another pair of hands, someone with a rifle,

someone to carry water, a stretcher-bearer maybe.

So being one of them is crucial, we are combat

photographers.

MM: I was going to ask about this camaraderie.I was brought up in the military and appreciate that

this bond between guys is everything. Do you feel

that because you are a military person and

therefore connected to these guys, that it is easier

to do your job as a photographer than if you were

just a freelancer?

SB: I do think so. Most of the time when we go to

meet a new platoon or battalion which we are

going to photograph, we just go in our military

uniform without our cameras. So until we cross

that barrier we are the same as them. We have a

brew and brief them on what we are doing before

we start shooting. You do get the occasional person

who doesnt want their picture taken, but its very

rare because we are soldiers too. In fact most of the

guys love it, posing stuff is simple out there.

It is now more widely known that we exist as a

team, so there is a constant media presence out

there, which makes our life much easier.

MM: So you have that role of photographing in

theatre, but it strikes me that you spend the vast

majority of your time fulfilling obligations in the

UK, what kind of stuff do you shoot every day?

This is prime

imagery

that goes to the

Imperial WarMuseum, and that

people can look

at in years to come

we cant miss it.

You just to have

great situational

awareness.

STEVE

BLAKE


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SB: Last year I covered a massive number of

things, from low-profile stuff like cheque

presentations for the Army Sports Lottery and the

opening of our new headquarters to the QueensBirthday Parade in London and the polo at

Tidworth, all manner of sporting events.

MM:Youve got a great job havent you?

SB: It gets better. I then did the homecoming of a

round-the-world boat race between all the forces

and covered the Help for Heroes concert at

Twickenham; two days of filming with Status Quo

who were rereleasingIn the Army Now. As a result,

they used my images in their tour brochure.

Sadly I also have to do a lot of repatriations

[where the countrys military dead are returned to

Britain]. One of us (there are four Army

photographers and two military video guys) has to

cover every repatriation. So we are down at RAF

Lyneham [in Wiltshire] a lot, and sometimes the

nearby town of Wootton Bassett if the family

request it.

MM: Is that why your training has to be so

complete, because you photograph everything, in

totality, from the Chief of Staffs portrait to

covering events?

SB: Yes, and it also means that we have to have kit

to cover everything. So the Army photographic

contract is with Nikon, and we have two D3s

cameras each. We then have lenses that range from

10.5mm fisheye all the way through to 500mm.

We have flashes, Lastolite reflectors, studio lights,the lot!

MM: I think I want to be an Army photographer, it

sounds a hell of a lot more fun than what I do.

SB: It is and all of our kit is issued as well.

MM: A final question; the best and worst bits of

the job, what would you keep and what would you

gladly get rid of?

SB: There are loads of great bits. The places you

travel to, the people you meet and the huge variety

of jobs. No two shoots are the same. I could be told

tomorrow that I am off to Canada wherever the

Army goes, we go to promote the Army, help with

recruitment, and document Army life. I am a

people person and I love going out and getting the

best out of the subject.

The only bad bit is that most of our postings are

one man posts, so you dont get that camaraderie

that you get in a regiment. Being based in HQ

Land Forces and being sent to different places all

the time, means working alone is the strength you

have to have and it forms part of the selection

process.

MM: So do you miss the camaraderie, would you

go back to your regiment?

SB: To be honest, no. I have the best job in the

world, I am doing the job I love. I have my family

just across the road, I see them every weekend.Sometimes when you are in the middle of a field

by yourself though it would be nice to have

someone to talk to, but hey, we all have mobile

phones.

MM: I can get a better signal in the middle of a

desert in Afghanistan than I ever can in the UK, so

there are no excuses, independence can be a good

thing. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me

and giving us such a fascinating insight into the

life of an Army photographer. Its fair to say that

there is much of your working life that one

could easily envy.

UPDATE: As a result of defence budget

cutbacks the Army has now cancelled all

photographic training courses for 2011.

There are also plans to potentially cut the

number of professional frontline Army

photographers.

TPdonated the fee for this article to Help

for Heroes. If you want to make a donation

go to www.helpforheroes.org.uk.

TP

Opposite page, top: People paying their respect

at a soldiers repatriation; below: A further

image from his work covering life in Afghanistan

This page, left: An Army skydiver; below:

Corporal Steve Blake with Status Quo

tour brochure.

TP

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