Guibert’s The Photographer is probably topping my list for one of my favorite books of the year so far. Just like his previous release from First Second, Alan’s War, Guibert works at going to the heart of his subject and provides us with an incredibly honest portrayal of common figures in the middle of incredible situations. The Photographer follows the story of a close friend and his experience going to Afghanistan to document the work of Medecins Sans Frontieres. The story of Didier Lefevre is enthralling and exciting. He goes through things one could only imagine. The story of his journey through worn torn Afghanistan in 1987 gives a humanist look at a people that are being ravished by continuing violence. The book is a mixture between Guibert’s subtle cartooning with Lefevre’s photography. It is amazing the amount of photo’s that he took during this time. This would be an incredible work, just looking at the photo’s but the way the two forms melt together is really strong and appealing. Lefevre is able to capture people in their most private moments without seeming to intrude. Some of my favorite shots, are of the Mujaheddin bringing in armaments into Afghanistan on the backs of donkey’s and horse’s. It is really interesting to see the source of one of the major international conflicts through an unsensationalized lense. Buy this book now.
