In 1992, Afghanistan was certainly not in anyones' radar. The Russians had left a few years back ( in 1989 ) and an ugly civil war was raging. We were a few years away from the Taliban's control of the country ( in 1995) and still almost a decade before the American invasion. This didn't stop famed national Geographic photographer REZA to found the first Afghanistan photo agency. Using his great photographic fame as foundation, he quickly recruited other photographer, mostly from Afghanistan and neigborhing countries.

What distinguishes Webistan immediately is that it is neither an agency born from war photography nor does it dwell on it. As much as the country has and is being torn by continuous wars, as much as webistan has focused on all aspect of the country and it's surrounding. The stories offered by Websitan are of its people, the civilians, the country and its incredible landscape along with the sociological interaction of both. Because Afghanistan is before everything a land with a very deep history and culture currently buried under reports of incessant IDE explosions, record opium and women mistreatment.

Reza is still the number one photographer of the agency and his relentless pursuit of publicity has kept it in the news for 20 years now. Today Afghanistan is only one region that Websitan offers as coverage as they have expanded their vision.

"The world is our field of vision. We are the storytellers of a humanity whose culture we share. From war to peace, from atrocities to poetry, our testimonies tell these moments of life. Within Webistan, the borders and barriers fade away, allowing photographers from far away lands to offer a cross-cultural vision of the world."

For more information : http://www.webistan.com or send an email to info@webistan.com.

If you are a photo agency and would also like to participate to this weekly column, please send a note to Paul Melcher at paul.melcher@lalettredelaphotographie.com.