Repost This ArticleI DIDN’T KNOW what it would be like. No matter how many articles I read or photos I saw or people I talked to who had been there or even live there now, I just couldn’t truly know.
I went to Kabul for about two weeks this October with Shannon Galpin of Mountain2Mountain, who was bringing a life-size photo exhibit called “The Streets of Afghanistan” back to the country after four years of touring in the States.
Shannon has worked throughout Afghanistan for years, and she asked me, along with photographer Tony Di Zinno and writer Anna Brones, to join her for the exhibition. Going to Afghanistan had been constantly in my thoughts since editing Travis Beard’s footage for a short film I produced on Shannon’s life as a change maker. Knowing I needed another filmmaker I could trust/have a good laugh with in a challenging situation, I asked Mo Scarpelli to come, and together we set out to make a film about Afghan photographers. Here are some behind-the-scenes looks from production. 
Mo and I...
were extremely grateful to be connected with one of Shannon Galpin’s friends and fixers, Najeeb. Najeeb was able to get us amazing access to film in places where we would otherwise not be able to. Here, we were gathering B-roll of Afghan police, and in true form, with an amazing smile and personality that transcends language barriers, Mo was quick to make friends.
One evening...
on the streets of Kabul, I asked a fruit vendor if I could film his stand. He immediately turned and pointed to his friend sitting on the back of the cart. He asked if I would please take his photo as well: “He is still handsome?” he asked. The young man had lost an arm and an eye. He smiled sweetly at me and I smiled back and said “very handsome.”
During one...
of the Streets of Afghanistan exhibits at Barbur Gardens, this young woman and I became quick friends. She guided me around the beautiful gardens and we talked about her dreams of coming to the States for university, and I asked her all my burning questions about burqas and women’s rights in Afghanistan. As we wandered farther away from the exhibition, I became slightly nervous as crowds of young men circled us to stare every time we stopped moving. At one point, a young man confronted me about the relevance of the photo exhibition and a huge crowd formed around us. I became immediately aware how much I was depending on this 17-year-old girl. I was so impressed how she stood up to this young man taller and louder then her. She defended me and the exhibition and held my hand as she pulled us away from the crowd. I was so proud of her, and honored to have met her.Intermission
A beautiful...
landscape outside of Kabul reminded me so much of where I grew up in New Mexico.
Mo and I knew...
we wanted to film kite flying in Kabul. It’s a huge community gathering and such a beautiful part of the culture. Filming in crowds was one of the biggest challenges of the production, and from what we heard, filming kite flying on the top of the hill would be the worst of it. We were told by our fixer that he had once taken a crew up there to film -- after their gear and passports were stolen, the swarming crowds lifted their car into the air. Mo and I were concerned, but we wanted some kites! Amazingly, we stayed under the radar, and the young men there were more interested in the kites than us.
A man...
competes for a kite overlooking the city of Kabul.
Women were...
a rare sight on the streets. Mo and I found ourselves whipping the camera around at the slightest sign of them. Here is a more modern style that women have taken on in Kabul.
Matching outfits...
for the Eid holiday.
Gaining access...
to a small village in the mountains to film, we passed through several checkpoints that made sure we had the right papers.Intermission
A glimpse...
into the snack food of Kabul.
Stars and stripes...
and water pumps in downtown Kabul.
These two...
women asked me to take their photo in the Women’s Garden in Kabul. After a few serious photos I finally got one of them to smile when I lifted the camera. Days later, I was stunned to see the same woman in the Dubai airport -- she blew me a kiss.
I couldn’t...
get over the beauty of the changing aspen trees outside of Kabul.
Another alley...
in Old Kabul.
Kites...
or bust.
Allie...
behind the camera. Photo: Mo ScarpelliTravelers Stoked on this Gallery
Alexandria Bombach
Founding the production company Red Reel in 2009, Alexandria has concentrated on short films with character driven stories. Her 2012 film series MoveShake features real life stories and lessons of people dedicating themselves to environmental and social issues. Believing in the power of storytelling, Alexandria’s work is defined by her ability to get to the core of passionate characters with the intention of shifting perspectives and igniting change.
Beautiful work!
Indeed. And brave.
To be honest, you are one of those awesome people on the planet with the nerve tell the truth that is happening out there. Behind the curtains of that war torn country, people still want a normal life, love each other and live in peace. Awesome work. I am humbled and inspired with your work. Awesome!
Wow thank you Chitra!
This is one of the best galleries I’ve ever seen on Matador. Beautiful, on so, so many levels.
Absolutely stunning photos and commentary! So proud of YOU!
Aw thank you Jane! That means a lot to me
Awesome. It’s so refreshing to see the human, colloquial side of Kabul.Well done.
Amazing photos indeed Allie;) what kind of camera do u use if you don’t mind me asking?:)
On this shoot we had a 3 Cannons. Two 5Ds and a C300. Worked really well!
This is an amazing portrait of a land which is often displayed so negatively by the media! Stunning photography. I’m curious though, how was it lugging around Photography equipment through Afghanistan? I know that people advised me against it in Pakistan, because there were a high possibility that I could be mugged/targeted.
On this trip we had amazing fixers that were our main eyes and ears if a situation got too dangerous. It’s difficult to have your eye through the lens while also keeping an eye on the crowd. We were just very intentional in where and when we shot and also made sure to get permission – not just for permissions sake, but so authorities and managers of the locations knew what we were doing and watched us. The only time I felt worried though was shooting the kites. We had heard of many people being mugged and robbed in that area by large crowds. We scouted a lot before we shot, just walked around without equipment, talking to people. Then pulled out the big cameras. Just like anywhere in the world – you just have to be aware.