"I remember well taking this picture. I was traveling in the Hindukusch
mountains and saw that girl on the fields near a small village in Kalifitan, at  the border area between
Pakistan and Afghanistan. It’s a small valley surrounded by the
snowcovered mountains of the Hindukush. I asked my driver to stop and
went to the girl asking if I could take her picture and with a smile in
her face she said "yes". I was very exited started setting up my backdrop
and my lights. Looking on the focusing glass of my 4x5 camera I felt
many years back in time. It was beautiful and after a while my friend
and travel companion got really nervous and interrupted my intense work
whispering in my ears “she is a girl Jan… We need to go!” I replied no, I
am not finished… She is amazing! My friend asked me to look around and I
realized I was surrounded by a group of Taliban. All of them with
Kalashnikovs in their hands… When I take pictures and I am really excited
I forget the world around me and did not realize them being there at
all. So I looked at them and asked “do you want me to take a picture of
you?” And yes, that was my next shot… I used Polaroids that I could
give them. I got invited into their village. It was an amazing time.
Photography builds bridges and relationships. I love that"