The drones don't stop
Odessa gets hit a lot. The drones come from the Black Sea. They fly low to stay under radar. You hear the buzzing before you see anything. Is it one of ours or theirs. Do the soldiers catch them all. We learn quickly that things appear out of nowhere, and the target is not just the city but also the men trying to stop them.
THE BACKSTORY
The war has changed so much
ISSUE 19
The water seems calm. It is hard to believe that, after dark, this becomes a gateway for Shahed drones. They fly low over the sea, then rise over the cliffs toward Odessa and the region in southern Ukraine.
I stood there, breathing slowly, taking in the view before night. Before the sound arrives. Before the first impact.
I know the men mostly work at night. We head to the SU-23 anti-aircraft gun mounted on the back of a truck to prepare it for the mission. Dima looks up into the sky. Clear conditions.
I don’t know yet what the night will bring. It could stay quiet. I take my pictures during the day, with time to work the scene. I wait for the moment he looks up.
This is usually when I get nervous. Will I get the photographs. I am already wearing my vest and helmet. Taking it off and on is a hassle, so I keep everything set, ready.
The sun is gone. The light drops fast. I know I will struggle with focus, pushing ISO, lowering shutter speed. The SL3 with the 24–90 lens isn’t fast enough for this. I switch to the Q3 43, staying at f/2, trying to hold onto what little light is left.
It gets darker. I move constantly between ISO 3200 and 12500, unsure how it will hold up. I didn’t expect it to be this difficult. Still quiet. Then suddenly drones are incoming. The group of Shaheds on the military overview radar screen, circling before, now moving toward us.
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