Thus far, American photographer Peter van Agtmael's amazing career has largely focused on documenting the effects of America's post 9/11 wars at home and abroad. Before travelling to Iraq in 2006, he had covered certain issues surrounding HIV-positive refugees in South Africa and the Asian Tsunami in 2005. After starting work in Iraq, he went on to win numerous awards, work in Afghanistan – both embedded and unembedded – and documented injured servicemen and their families. We spoke to him about the mysterious attraction of conflict, and the realities of censorship and care for a country's wounded.
Words by Bruno Bayley