Mie Ahmt Photography

lucky days

when i walk in the mountains with my dogs and my man life is good...
I think we all feel the same way. 

 

 

10 cents to go to the doctor

Statistics from an Afghan Clinic:
 

 

Putting the pictures of the Afghan Doctor and that little 3 day old girl on my blog made me think a little about the fact that so many people don't realize the amount of work being done in Afghanistan and the amount of work that still needs to be done.

The picture above shows the statistics of this particular clinic - build by USAID in Afghanistan.1387 is the year - and that pretty much means 2008 - except that the Muslim calendar year is a bit different. The doctor told me that they charge 5 Afghanis from each patient who comes in to be treated - and that many people in this village have serious problems finding the 5 Afghanis it will cost them to go to the doctor. 

5 afghanis is 10 Cents!!!

Looking at the statistics from this new clinic you realize how much they must have needed a clinic here.. The last month of the chart shows that they had 440 more patients than they had capacity for.

Development and reconstruction are so many things... I believe in seeing things with your own eyes but I am also realistic and know that that isnt always possible -  therefore I photograph...

3 days old

I met this woman with her 3 day old grand daughter at a clinic in The North Eastern part of Afghanistan in December last year.. The woman in the picture - the grand mother told me that the mother of the girl was 'very sick' after giving birth. The black around the baby's eyes is supposed to improve her vision - according to the very young, afghan translator I had with me... So much is lost in translation and I was kinda bummed when he barged into the room where I was sitting with all the women - trying to bond and communicate... As soon as he walked in - the burkas were back on and the photo session was over!

Some times I wonder how that little girl is doing today... she should be about 8 months old now...

 

 

The woman in the picture below is a doctor. For me she represents everything hopeful for Afghanistan!

 

The picture of her is a reminder to me of being grateful for everything I - as a Danish Citizen - has been served on a silver platter all my life; Education & Health Care - just to mention a few things.. It will never make sense to me that those two things are not a human right... In some countries owning a car seems like a human right... 

No matter how you slice it... This woman ROCKS!

Wear Sunscreen!

Last year I was diagnosed with melanoma. It is a mean cancer and I ended up having my lymph nodes removed in my right arm. I am now cancer free - but having had melanoma has turned me into the 'sunscreen Nazi'! If you are around me and the sun is shining I will harass you until I am sure you are completely covered in some ridiculous high spf factor sunscreen!
I just rediscovered this great old Baz Luhrmann song; "Everybody's free to wear sunscreen". I remember when it first came out; I loved it. But I totally forgot about it and was really happy when I rediscovered it the other day.
Take a moment... Listen and Enjoy:

Just bought...

I just bought this book at Amazon for $6. First of all I can't beleive you can actually buy a book for $6. How is that possible... never mind the fact that it is a photo book!!!

Armed America is a photo book by photographer kyle Cassidy. Kyle Cassidy traveled all over America over 2 years photographing gun owners in their houses - asking them one question; "Why do you own a gun?".

Just the thought of this project sends chills down my spine. I don't understand at all why you would want to own one or keep one at your house. I lived in Afghanistan for over 4 years and I never had a gun. I will and do use armed guards if required... The concept of guns just make very little sense to me...

I am exited to see the book... I really really like the idea of this project! Hurry up mister postman!!!

Working on...

I just got two cute, 6 weeks old puppies... So I am working on potty training!
But what I am really working on is finalizing pictures for a show in Missoula, Montana next month. Here is a sneak peak of the Afghan version of Garbage Galore.
The short introduction to this is that I am exploring waste! Especially food waste... Food we all throw out every day that is perfectly fine! More than 25% of food produced in America - goes directly yo trash... When you start to look in to this you realize this insanity... I am trying to display it - and still let people come to this conclusion by themselves!
I will tell you more about this once I am ready to launch... First Friday in Missoula is coming up fast... I am so exited.

So here is some of the stuff I found in the Trash in Afghanistan.

Good Bye Kabul

I left Afghanistan a few days ago. Suitcase full of shots - so I am pretty happy. I always feel I could have done more - this time is no exception - But I am happy and content - and feel that my experience living in Kabul the last 4 years has helped me in many ways there. Who knows... Maybe it has also hindered me - as you probably won't find me walking around the streets finding that perfect shot... I know better! I know how dangerous it can be there and I know not to get carried away.
I know I am missing out on great photo opportunities but I hope I can get the best of both worlds and still make good photos.

I spent a few days in Dubai.. Met up with some old friends & mainly tried to clean up after Kabul. A lot can be said about Dubai - but it is the perfect place to pamper yourself after some time in Afghanistan!

The flight to Dubai from Kabul easily get into my top 5 of miserable flights (and I have had MY share of horrible airplane related experiences). Because of Xmas and over bookings and a lot of other events I should have foreseen - I ended up flying on Safi Airlines out of there.   I don't know how many extra rows of seats they put on that airplane, but it must have been quite a few as there was NO way what-so-ever my legs would fit in my little space.  It probably didn't help that I was in the very very back of the plane (the last seat before the bathroom) which ment no possibility for me to lean my seat back - while the guy in front of me had his seat permanently pressed into my knees.

As usual I sat there with my camera in my sweaty palms ready to crash and die... Here is what it looked like flying into Dubai on one of the only days of the year were it actually rained in Dubai.
Now I am back in Denmark for a few days... Enjoying Mom and Dad's X-mas food - and walks around this little town that I grew up in... It is amazing how everything looks the same... and at the same time - things are so different. There is only one shop left in town... The Grocery store! When I was a kid...

Anyways - This is a picture that ewokes many emotions in me. The amount of time I have spent here... waiting for trains, friends, boys and sometimes just for time to pass...

...makes me wonder

This is what is playing in the Movie Theaters in Kabul these days...
Looking at the first picture - you just gotta wonder...

Apple & Roshan... Really?

Really?
Does Roshan seriously have a deal with Apple?

... a long time ago I had the first Iphone in Afghanistan that actually worked... I saw this billboard the other day when I was driving by Kabul River - and am wondering if Apple really made an agreement with Roshan??? I am having a very hard time believing this - especially considering how long it took for the Iphone to come to Europe!