'We know when to put the camera down and pick the rifle up'

'We know when to put the camera down and pick the rifle up'
Unseen world of Britain's fighting men and women captured in stunning images taken by military photographers
Corporal Jamie Peters, RLC, won the top prize for his portfolio of images from six months in Afghanistan
He was deployed as the photographer for the Army's Combat Camera Team
Images show softer side of life on front line, capturing soldiers chatting to children and cleaning weapons
Daily Mail
By ANNA EDWARDS
PUBLISHED: 19 October 2013

War usually conjures up images of bloodshed, violence and death.

Rarely do we see the softer side of the life on the front line - and these stirring images give a glimpse of soldiers chatting with children, cleaning their weapons and caring for their animals.

The remarkable pictures in the annual Army Photographic Competition show Britain's soldiers at work and play.

'Celtic Warrior' by Cpl Jamie Peters RLC captures Private Ross Cunningham from 1SCOTS
cleaning his personal weapon at FOB Shawqat after a patrol to an ANA checkpoint

'Hot under the collar' by Cpl Jamie Peters RLC shows a lighter side of army life.
This Military Working Dog (MWD)
attached to the Welsh Gaurds takes a rest
from the heat under an umbrella during an operation in Helmand Province, Afghanistan

Speaking of the winning portrait, the photographer told NBC news: 'When we returned to base [after patrol] the guys just clean their rifles and get their equipment ready in case they need to go straight out in a hurry.'

'That's the thing with being a photographer: When all the guys are back on their down time you still have a job to do; you are photographing that as well.' 'Because we are military photographers we know what to do when we get shot at and we know what's going to happen next,' he said.

'The only time that we would put the camera down and pick up the rifle is if there is enemy fire that comes close to you and hits close to you.'
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