Photographer Goran Tomasevic

Born in Belgrade in 1969, Goran Tomasevic started working for Reuters as a freelance photographer in 1996 during the anti-Milosevic demonstrations. He was based in Baghdad during the Iraq conflict, in Jerusalem during tense times between the Israelis and Palestinians, was senior photographer in Egypt during the uprising to oust President Mubarak and is now based in Nairobi, Kenya. In 2003 and 2005 Goran won the Reuters photographer of the year award.

SYRIA: "Of course I wanted to go to Syria. When a big story like this shows up, I believe my job is to go there and produce pictures. I gave up going to cover the Olympics. It was two days before my trip to London and I changed my ticket and went to Syria instead. I have been covering conflict for many years, since the Balkans in 1991.Pictures must show the reality of the war in Syria and that's why I wanted to be as close as I could to the fighters to the very front line to show exactly what they are doing, their emotions, how they run and fire weapons and also how they react to incoming shells. There is a certain amount of risk and you need to take all necessary precautions but if you want to do tell the true story, you have to be there." 

A man walks in front of a burning building after a Syrian Air force air strike in Ain Tarma neighbourhood of Damascus in this January 27, 2013 file photo. In a month on the frontline Goran Tomasevic documented rebel fighters as they defended a swathe of suburbs, mounted complex mass attacks, managed logistics, treated their wounded - and died. But as constant, mortar, tank and sniper fire attested, President Bashar al-Assad's soldiers, often just a room or a grenade toss away, were equally well drilled - and much better armed. Picture taken January 27, 2013. (Photo by Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)

Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters take position just before they were hit by Syrian Army sniper fire during heavy fighting in the Ain Tarma neighborhood of Damascus, Syria, on January 30, 2013.

An FSA fighter looks at his comrade (right) as he is shot by sniper fire, on January 30, 2013. 

The FSA fighter on the left is shot by sniper fire, as his comrade lies on him, wounded moments before, on January 30, 2013. 

A badly wounded FSA member drops his weapon as he is dragged by fellow fighters, on January 30, 2013.

FSA fighters pull a comrade who was just shot by sniper fire, during heavy fighting on January 30, 2013. 

FSA fighters do what they can to help a badly-wounded comrade in the Ain Tarma neighborhood, on January 30, 2013. The fighter died of his wound soon after.

FSA fighters run for cover as a tank shell explodes on a wall in Damascus, on January 30, 2013. 

A Free Syrian Army fighter fires his rifle through a hole in the wall of a Syrian Army base during heavy fighting in the Arabeen neighbourhood of Damascus February 3, 2013

A Free Syrian Army fighter watches Syrian Army positions before firing a B-10 recoilless gun in the Haresta neighbourhood of Damascus in this February 7, 2013 file photograph. 

A Free Syrian Army fighter, who was wounded by a hand grenade, lies on the ground during heavy fighting outside a Syrian Army base in the Arabeen neighbourhood of Damascus February 3, 2013. The hand grenade was thrown by Syrian Army soldiers and wounded four Free Syrian Army fighters. 

Free Syrian Army fighters take a break from clashes in a coffee shop in Aleppo August 12, 2012.

A Free Syrian Army fighter reacts after his friend was shot by Syrian Army soldiers during clashes in Salah al-Din neighborhood in central Aleppo August 4,

2012. 

A Free Syrian Army fighter gestures as others carry a fighter shot by Syrian Army soldiers during clashes in the Salah al-Din neighborhood of central Aleppo in this August 4, 2012 file photo. The fighter was killed by a very accurate Syrian army sniper who found a hole in between sandbags and fired. The sniper shot him in the chest killing him instantly.

A Free Syrian Army fighter takes cover during clashes with Syrian Army in the Salaheddine neighbourhood of central Aleppo August 7, 2012

A Free Syrian Army fighter fires his sniper rifle from a house in Aleppo August 14, 2012.

A Free Syrian Army fighter helps a woman to run across a street during clashes in Aleppo August 12, 2012.

A Free Syrian Army fighter prepares to fire a RPG as a Syrian Army tank shell hits a building across a street during a heavy fighting in Salaheddine neighborhood of central Aleppo August 11, 2012.

A Free Syrian Army fighter carries the body of a fellow fighter during clashes in Aleppo August 16, 2012.

LIBYA: “In April, it will be 20 years that I have been covering wars. I’m 41 years old; almost half my life has been spent covering conflict. I was meant to be arranging a doctor for my mother in Belgrade; she was supposed to have surgery. I was three days into my vacation when I saw the stories about Libya so I came back to Cairo. I don’t remember the date (February 23) but I remember landing at 3.30 in the morning and I was at my house at 4am. At 5, I was driving back to the Libyan border. I drove my car to the Libyan-Egyptian border and left the car there and crossed the border by foot. I had to carry everything, like a donkey. I was stopping every 50 metres. It was terrible. Tobruk was my first stop. I stayed there one night. Then I went to Benghazi. I had planned to take a fishing boat to Misrata, a trip that would have taken 30 hours. That was my first mission impossible plan.”

A rebel holds a rifle as he smokes a cigarette at a checkpoint in Brega, March 3, 2011

 A rebel fighter fires a cannon during a battle near Ras Lanuf, March 4, 2011. 

Rebels hold a young man at gunpoint, who they accuse of being a loyalist to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, between the towns of Brega and Ras Lanuf, March 3, 2011.

 A rebel fighter fires his rifle at a military aircraft loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi at a checkpoint in Ras Lanuf March 7, 2011.

A rebel fighter holds an anti-aircraft rocket launcher in Ajdabiyah, March 15, 2011. 

Rebel fighters jump away from shrapnel during heavy shelling by forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi near Bin Jawad, March 6, 2011.

A rebel fighter fires a rocket-propelled grenade launcher in front of a gas storage terminal during a battle on the road between Ras Lanuf and Bin Jiwad, March 9, 2011.

 Rebel fighters load a multiple rocket launcher during a battle on the road between Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad, March 9, 2011.

 Rebel fighters pray during a battle near Ras Lanuf, March 4, 2011.

Rebel fighters sit on a sofa at a check point in Ajdabiyah, March 15, 2011.

A woman rebel fighter supporter shoots an AK-47 rifle as she reacts to the news of the withdrawal of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's forces from Benghazi March 19, 2011. 

Rebel fighters walk holding weapons along the Benghazi -Ajdabiyah road near Ajdabiyah March 24, 2011.

 Rebel fighters gesture in front of a burning gas storage terminal during a battle on the road between Ras Lanuf and Bin Jawad, March 9, 2011.

A rebel fighter holds a Kingdom of Libya flag and a knife during shelling by soldiers loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in a battle near Ras Lanuf,

March 4, 2011. 

EGYPT: “I was in south Sudan covering the referendum when I found out that there were going to be protests in Egypt. I felt that there could be big troubles, so I returned to Egypt. It was the 26th of January. I arrived at 8am and dropped my bags at home and then went to the office. My colleague, Amr Abdullah Dalsh, told me that there were three people killed during protests in Suez. I asked Amr to call fellow photographer Mohamed Abd El-Ghany to see if he could go to Suez to cover the funerals. I was really expecting there could be rioting. Mohamed had strong images from Suez.”

A protester stands in front of a burning barricade during a demonstration in Cairo January 28, 2011. 

Riot police keep watch as they hold shields during clashes with protesters in Cairo January 26, 2011. 

A man gestures as another throws a stone during clashes between pro and anti-Mubarak supporters clash at Tahrir Square in Cairo February 2, 2011.

A woman opposition supporter takes shelter while providing water during rioting with pro-Mubarak demonstrators near Tahrir Square in Cairo February 3,

2011.

 A protester runs next to a police vehicle after throwing a bag of trash at it during a demonstration in Cairo January 28, 2011.

A picture of then Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is seen on a plastic chair in downtown Cairo March 26, 2007. 

 IRAQ: “In Iraq I gained a lot from my experience in Kosovo ’99. It was kind of a similar situation but a different culture, different people. In Iraq we just had to follow the rules of the Information Minister. We couldn’t go where we want, shoot what we want, it just wasn’t possible. It was too risky. There were bombs coming from the sky. This kind of war you just have to be very careful that you don’t provoke anyone. It’s particularly bad if you have something that resembles arms, like your cameras. It could be really bad.”

 An Iraqi woman watches U.N. weapons inspectors leave Saddam airport in Baghdad March 18, 2003. 

General view of a bombed out reception hall in Saddam Hussein's main Republican palace in Baghdad April 13, 2003.

A U.S. soldier watches as a statue of Iraq's President Saddam Hussein falls in central Baghdad April 9, 2003.

An Iraqi woman sits on an empty bin while queuing for heating oil at a gasoline station in Baghdad December 3, 2003. On the wall is a graffiti from the time of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein that reads "Iraq is land for all and defending it is everyones responsibility". 

A puppy sleeps under a U.S soldier's hat and rifles in Baquba, in Diyala province some 65 km (40 miles) northeast of Baghdad November 6, 2008.

 U.S. soldiers push the car of an Iraqi man to start the engine at a check point in north Baghdad June 13, 2007. 

 A U.S. soldier walks with his gun at his side through a street in Baghdad April 9, 2003.

 AFGHANISTAN: “When I count up the time I spent in Afghanistan, it was more than one year across all the embeds. At the beginning, I was finding my way. I was in touch with the U.S. Army’s Commander Colonel Ed Kornish who liked my pictures. Colonel Kornish and Sergeant Major Andy Bolt hooked me up with the U.S. Marines in 2008. We went deep inside Taliban territory in Helmand Province to follow the Garmsir Operation. We went on different types of missions. There were a lot of opportunities to make good pictures.”

 Reflections of U.S soldiers are seen in a puddle of water as they guard their vehicles in front of an Afghan police station in Kandahar October 16, 2007.

 U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Chris Sanderson, 24, from Flemington, New Jersey shouts as he tries to protect an Afghan man and his child after Taliban fighters opened fire in the town of Marjah, in Nad Ali district, Helmand province, February 13, 2010. U.S.-led NATO troops launched a crucial offensive on Saturday against the Taliban's last big stronghold in Afghanistan's most violent province and were quickly thrown into a firefight with the militants.

Sgt. William Olas Bee, a U.S. Marine from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, has a close call after Taliban fighters opened fire near Garmser in Helmand Province of Afghanistan May 18, 2008. The Marine was not injured. 

Afghan policemen stand next to a captured Taliban fighter after a gun battle near the village of Shajoy in Zabol province March 22, 2008.

 Afghan men harvest opium in a poppy field in a village in Golestan district of Farah province, May 5, 2009. 

Afghan soldiers hold hands as they walk at a U.S Marines camp near the town of Marjah in Nad Ali district of Helmand province February 6, 2010.

An Afghan boy looks at Dutch soldiers as they arrive to search a house at a village in Baluchi pass in Uruzgan province November 1, 2007.

 ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES: “I went for the first time in November/December 2001. In 2002 I spent about 7 months in Jerusalem and after that I went to Iraq for two months. I just couldn’t stand hotels anymore.” --- Caption: Egyptian helicopters carrying the coffin of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat lands in the West Bank city of Ramallah, November 12, 2004.

Egyptian helicopters carrying the coffin of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat lands in the West Bank city of Ramallah, November 12, 2004. 

A Palestinian boy climbs on a metal structure, part of the border wall between Gaza and Egypt blown up by Palestinian militants earlier in the week, in Rafah January 26, 2008.

 An Ultra-orthodox Jewish protester shouts near Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office during a demonstration against the desecration of graves for a new Israeli highway next to the northern Israeli Kibbutz of Regavim, in Jerusalem April 26, 2005. 

A Palestinian man prays on the street near Lion gate in Jerusalem's Old city February 3, 2006.

A female Jewish settler prays in front of a synagogue in Jewish settlement of Shirat Hayam in the Gush Katif bloc of Jewish settlements, in the southern Gaza Strip, August 14, 2005. 

 A Palestinian boy rides a horse in front of concrete wall separating the West Bank village of Abu Dis from East Jerusalem January 16, 2004. 

Young Jewish settler women armed with rifles walks out of the Rafiakh Yam settlement in the Gaza Strip February 28, 2005. 

 PAKISTAN: “I was based in Jerusalem when the 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit Pakistan-administered Kashmir. I had my Pakistan visa beside my Israel visa in my passport. I was so excited to cover a new assignment. I was ready to run from Israel to cover the aftermath of the quake. It was just incredible. I had never seen anything like that in my life. It was two months after the quake had struck and I was sent there to see how the people were coping. My assignment was to cover the victims and where they were now. I wanted to see how they would survive the first snow. It was something totally different for me. I enjoyed shooting but it was sad.” 

 Kashmiri earthquake survivors receive free food from an open-air kitchen in the devastated city of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir December 15, 2005.

 An earthquake survivor holds a sick child during Ted Turner's visit to a camp near the city of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir early December 18, 2005. 

A little girl who is an earthquake survivor sits inside a tent at a camp in the devastated city of Muzaffarabad November 24, 2005.

 Earthquake survivors attend a class in an open-air school in the devastated city of Muzaffarabad November 25, 2005.

KOSOVO: “I started photography in 1991 in Belgrade for local newspapers. I went to Bosnia and Croatia in the 1990’s. By the time I was in Kosovo in 1999 I was already doing a lot of work for Reuters. In 1999 were some of the worst days. I worked together with Miguel, an AP cameraman, for the first two weeks of the bombing in Kosovo. He was later killed in Sierra Leone. He had asked me to go to Sierra Leone but I never went.” -

A man pats a dog in front of local red cross office and police station destroyed in last night's NATO air strikes on Kosovo's capital Pristina March 29, 1999.

 An armed Serbian farmer patrols his land near Klina next to the main road between the capital Pristina and the town of Pec, July 28, 1999.

A girl looks on a blockade set up by protesters of the Serbian Trade Union Confederation within the scope of a strike over a proposed labour law, that the workers say does not take care of their rights, in Belgrade October 19, 2001. 

A man looks at bodies near the Kosovo village of Meja where 64 people were killed and 20 wounded including three Serb policemen who were escorting the convoy April 14, 1999.

end

cast Goran Tomaševič, the war photographer

images credit   www.          

Music Cohen Leonard Everybody Knows Live 1988             created   o.e.

thanks for watching