FAFG #003 - Beautiful Horrible

When I first took a close look at this image I was struck by the beautiful colors. It looks like some kind of wild mushroom, or the bud from an exotic plant. But in reality there is nothing beautiful about this object. It is the rusted tip of a bullet recovered from a mass grave. The tip itself is quite tiny... less than 5mm wide (or less than one-fifth of an inch.)

One of the ways that the FAFG forensic lab is able to find such miniscule bullet fragments is by taking x-ray images of the skeleton remains. Every metal fragment that is recovered, no matter how small, is then placed into labelled containers to be photographed along with the skeleton, clothes, and any personal objects belonging to the victim.

Tags: Guatemala, FAFG, Forensic, Anthropology, Photography, bullet, ballistic

FAFG #002 - Tiny Clothes

When I first started working with the Forensic Anthropology Foundation in Guatemala (FAFG) my family was a bit apprehensive. They were concerned that working day after day with the remains of massacre victims might be upsetting or even depressing for me. "I guess that you'll need to do what doctors often do," commented my mom, "and somehow distance yourself from the personal details of the cases that you're working on."

That sounded like good advice to me, and the proper way to avoid burning out too soon. After all, holding a human skull in your hands can be unsettling enough. But when that skull belongs to an innocent victim of a horrific war crime, the emotion can be devastating.

I was surprised to discover, then, how much of an effort my coworkers make in trying to keep the personal details in the forefront of their minds. The emphasis, of course, is on always on the science: using the latest forensic theories and practices to determine the identity and cause of death of the victims. The investigative process is painstakingly thorough, rigorously methodical, and remarkably well-documented. And yet, these forensic experts never forget that the bones that they so carefully hold in their hands once belonged to living men, women and children.

Remembering the human side of the story can leave us vulnerable to anger, outrage, grief and heartbreak. But it can also inspire us and remind us why this work is so important. After all... we are here to serve the victims, to serve the surviving family members, to serve the communities, and to serve the truth.

Today's photo is of the clothing worn by one of the young victims of the armed conflict. The tiny clothes belong to a male child, approximately one and a half years old.

Tags: Guatemala, FAFG, Forensic, Anthropology, Photography, massacre, victims

Working with the FAFG

You might think that after almost twenty years in Guatemala that I would've reached the "been there, done that" point. Or perhaps the "seen it all before" point. Or, at the very least, after nearly two decades, you might imagine that that I would have finally arrived at the "nothing new under the sun" point.

Nope, not yet. Not even close.

In fact, if anything, life in Guatemala just keeps becoming more and more interesting (or as I was tempted to write: interestinger and interestinger.)

Last November I made a fairly radical job switch from photojournalism to forensic photography. I was invited to join the remarkable ranks of the Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala. (Spanish: Fundación de Antropología Forense de Guatemala, FAFG.)

The FAFG is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that investigates human rights abuses that occurred during Guatemala's 36-year internal armed conflict. An estimated 200,000 victims, mostly indigenous Mayans, were killed during the conflict, and many were buried in clandestine mass graves.

Since 1992 the FAFG's archaeologists and anthropologists have labored to identify the human remains, record evidence for possible trials, and return the dead to surviving family members for reburial.

I am honored to serve as the FAFG's photographer. My brief time working with the Foundation has been inspiring, exhausting, challenging, eye-opening, heart-breaking, and life-changing.

Over the next few days, weeks and months I will try to breathe new life into my website and Flickr page by sharing some of the images and stories from the FAFG with you. I'll also provide links to websites and articles covering the amazing work of these dedicated men and women.

And, as always, I look forward to hearing back from you!

Visit the FAFG website (Spanish).

Tags: Guatemala, FAFG, Forensic, Anthropology, photography