Photojournalist Headed For Afghani NATO Base
By Martha Slater

As a photographer and editor for Canadian Television (CTV) based in Washington, D.C., 1997 Rochester High School graduate Adam Blair will soon travel to Dubai and then on to Afghanistan.

Blair, who gets sent all over the country on assignments, was back in Rochester at the end of July for a visit with family and friends before heading out on this latest adventure.

"CTV began sending photographers over there when Canadian troops became involved in Afghanistan and so we’ve had a photographer and reporter there steady for the past couple of years," Blair explained. "This is my turn in the rotation. I’ll be there for five weeks and will live on the NATO base in Kandahar, in barracks alongside the troops. I’ll be working out of the Canadian media office on the base, which is shared with other media personnel."

"Our job is to be embedded with the Canadian troops and report on what they’re doing," he added. "We’ll also report on Afghani life and any Canadian achievements in Afghanistan, whether it’s making an area safe, helping with a school or a water quality project, etc., to give a taste of what the soldiers are doing there. Of course, we’ll also have to report on anything bad that might happen, as well."

Blair said he felt confident about what to expect during this assignment.

"I work with three people who have been over there, and they have given me a lot of advice," he noted. "I leave for Dubai on Aug. 2 and get to Afghanistan Aug. 5. The people I’ve talked to have all enjoyed the experience. The photographer I spoke with has been there twice and the newspaper reporter I’ve worked with has been there four or five times. I’m not worried."

Blair began his professional career at WCAX-TV in Burlington after earning a Bachelor’s degree in film production at R.I.T. Starting as a videotape editor, he was soon promoted to a staff news photographer. During his five years with WCAX, he won awards for his work, and the dramatic film he shot of rioting at the University of Vermont’s Redstone campus, following the Red Sox American League championship win several years ago, was involved in an important court case.

Blair went to work for CTV last summer, and says he’s enjoying living in Washington, where he has an apartment a dozen blocks from the White House. Working alongside a reporter, and sometimes also a producer, he has covered everything from the horrific Virginia Tech massacre to the recent visit by the Queen of England. His work is seen all over the U.S. and Canada.

During his time in Afghanistan, Blair plans to keep a blog and post pictures on his web site, www.adamblair.tv, as often as possible, depending upon what is happening. There is also an e-mail link for him on that site.

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