"Under Every Yard of Sky" – Sebastian Meyer and Iraq's First Photo Agency

It’s easy to admire Sebastian Meyer, not simply because he’s a talented photographer who also co-founded the first photojournalism agency in Iraq, but because he is confident enough to speak of his shortcomings, his naiveté, and of tragedy. 

On this week’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast, we welcome Meyer to discuss his “love at first sight” for photojournalism, the  Metrography photo agency he opened in Iraqi Kurdistan, and how he lost a colleague and friend to the violence of the war against ISIS.

We also laugh a bunch during this episode and talk about being an “arrogant white guy,” how research can create preconceived ideas, the tropes of war photography, a bit about gear, and about the conditional nature of journalistic standards and freedom of the press.

After a short break, we learn of Meyer’s involvement in a prolonged hostage situation, his return to photojournalism, and how his new book, Under Every Yard of Sky, is not only a beautiful chronicle of modern Iraqi Kurdistan, in war and in peace, but is also a tribute to a friend taken too soon.

Join us for this powerful conversation that touches on so many important issues of the contemporary documentary and photojournalism.  

Guest: Sebastian Meyer

Photograph © Sebastian Meyer