It was not easy to get the right shot during her work in Afghanistan. “Gaining trust woman-to-woman is easier than getting permission, in many countries like Afghanistan, the female subject was pleased that I cared and trusted my work ethics but getting your foot in the door is not easily done if your access depends on getting permission from the male head of household,” she says. Once, while working on a story about an Afghan widow she had to adapt to portraits because she wasn’t allowed to spend much time – due to security reasons but also “in some cases verbal harassment I received from other family members”. Spending time to get the real compelling images is not only important, it is essential, Bronstein says. Above, Masooma, age 18, who suffers with severe burns on 70% of her body from self-immolation shows her scars during a visit to the Herat Regional hospital Burn unit October 22, 2004 in Herat, Afghanistan.
Paula Bronstein