Olof Jarlbro Photography

About

Olof Jarlbro was born in 1978 in the town of Helsingborg, in the south of Sweden. At the age of 19 Olof made his military service at The Lapland Ranger Regiment in Kiruna. This is one of the world’s most northern military training locations, in Europe’s last wilderness. Were, winter temperatures average -20° C (= -5° F) with extreme temperature as low as -45° C (= -50° F). The climate is one of the toughest in the world, and the training one of the toughest in the Swedish Army. After Olof finished his army service, he directly took the plane to Nepal, to climb the Himalayas. During this trip he started making pictures and after he returned in Sweden he decided to become a photographer. At the age of 22, he left Sweden and went to New York to study at the International Center of Photography. A couple of years later he moved to Prague to study at FAMU – The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. He spent years in Nepal covering the civil war and political changes but also the people’s daily life. The people’s stories motivate him to photograph, never the conflict itself. In the end of 2012, Olof crossed the borders to Syria illegally to cover the insurgent FSA-Free Syrian Army struggle against the regime. The photographs from the war in Syria got published in the book Syria: The War Within. In that book Olof depicts the rebellion’s struggles on various frontlines around Syria’s largest city Aleppo. The great amount of people affected by the war in Syria, led to the production of the book: Refuge were he follows the life of Syrian refugees in Bulgaria. His other published books include The Falling Kingdom, Stone Factory and Nepal & Mao.

Olof Jarlbro Photography produce visually stories for magazines, dailies and online news portals around the globe. But our core focus is production of books together with exhibitions and lectures that brings awareness of various global & social issues.

Work

Illegal gold mines in the Philippines.

Location: Paracale, Philippines
Caption: Kids panning for gold in the muddy water.The children working in the muddy pits for extended periods of time often suffer itchy and infected skin, a condition locally called “romborombo” caused by bacteria in the water.
About: Getting gold by any means using temporary tools and diving into small holes using compressed air, workers sift through 100 kilos of sand and clay to collect a quarter of a gram of gold dust each day, which gives them approximately $5. Enough to provide the needs of their families.

The Fishermen in Manila Bay

Location: Navotas, metro manila, Philippines
Caption: A fisherman's family is sleeping on the concrete bridge next to the water, it is cooler on the bridge with the wind from the sea than in its densely built wooden houses along the coast.
About: Environmental degradation and overfishing have meant that the levels of heavy metals in fish from the bay are 10-16 times higher than the safe levels established by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Illegal gold mines in the Philippines.

Location: Paracale, Philippines
Caption: The unique practice of compressor mining in the coastal areas, next to rivers and swamp, is not without risk and it is not uncommon for workers to be buried alive in the small but deep holes around Paracale. Diving underwater for several hours in 10 meter deep holes searching for the gold deposit beneath the water table. This extremely dangerous work is mostly carried out by adult men, but sometimes also by boys.
About: The Philippines has the largest copper gold deposits in the world and is the fifth most mineral rich country for gold, nickel, copper and chromite. According to official statistics small-scale gold mining together with large-scale mines producing about 18 tons of gold yearly, at a market value of over US$700 million. But this figures are not reliable cause up to 90% of the gold findings in the Philippines is smuggled out from non-controlled buying stations. Since a few months back, the Philippine government has taken steps to put an end to the mines that, according to environmental minister Gina Lopez, pose a threat to the environment. So instead of closing down the business, many of the smaller mines have chosen to move farther into the jungle and still carry on their business, but now illegally and in the dark.

The Fishermen in Manila Bay

Location: Navotas, metro manila, Philippines
Caption: Early morning around the fish market in Navotas.
About: Environmental degradation and overfishing have meant that the levels of heavy metals in fish from the bay are 10-16 times higher than the safe levels established by the World Health Organization

Fire months in Manila

Location: Quezon City, Metro Manila Philippines
Caption: Firefighter inside an affected building in squatter area.
About: Metro Manila with its nearly thirteen million inhabitants is particularly vulnerable to large fires due to its dense settlements. At the beginning of 2017 a fire broke out in the suburbs of Navotas next to Manila, 1200 families was forced to leave their homes. The month after that, another big fire broke out in one of Manila's many slums. Due to all flammable materials and limited accessibility for fire trucks, the fire spread devastating rapidly and the result was that 15,000 people became homeless.

The drug war in the Philippines

Location: Manila, Philippines
Caption: Another victim among thousands of others in the so call war on drugs in the Philippines.
About: President Rodrigo Duterte built his campaign on being tough on drug dealers and addicts. After half a year in power 4300 people are killed, 33,830 have been arrested and 764 742 have voluntarily given up because of fear of becoming a victim of the so-called

The drug war in the Philippines

Location: Manila, Metro Manila, Phillipins
Caption: Crispin Doming Dacio was killed by the police when refusing to stop at a checkpoint .
About: President Rodrigo Duterte built his campaign on being tough on drug dealers and addicts. After half a year in power 4300 people are killed, 33,830 have been arrested and 764 742 have voluntarily given up because of fear of becoming a victim of the so-called "vigilantes" murders. But President Dutertes drug campaign raises questions like why is it just poor people who suffer from police shootings, extrajudicial killings and mass arrests, when drug abuse in the Philippines is a problem widespread in all classes of society?

Brick Factory

Location: Kirtipur, Nepal
Caption: Toddler screaming for his mother that are stacking bricks.
About: The devastating Gorkha earthquake in Nepal increased demand for bricks and around the Kathmandu Valley are several hundreds of factories producing bricks for the region. These factories have for years received massive criticism from both media, NGOs and authorities, something that has not been unwarranted, child labor is rather a rule than exception, and the black smoke coming out of its chimneys contributes to the bad air in Kathmandu. But despite all the criticism and the government plans to ban the plants presence inside the valley, this controversial industry blooms after the earthquake.

The drug war in the Philippines

Location: Pasay city, Metro Manila, Phillipins
Caption: In Pasay city jail a prisoner are being search for contraband before being transfer to another jail.
About: President Rodrigo Duterte built his campaign on being tough on drug dealers and addicts. After half a year in power 4300 people are killed, 33,830 have been arrested and 764 742 have voluntarily given up because of fear of becoming a victim of the so-called "vigilantes" murders. But President Dutertes drug campaign raises questions like why is it just poor people who suffer from police shootings, extrajudicial killings and mass arrests, when drug abuse in the Philippines is a problem widespread in all classes of society?

The drug war in the Philippines

Location: Bagung Silan, Caloocan city, Phillipins
Caption: Funeral of Billy Joe who was a shot in a police operation in the Philippines' war on drugs. Billy Joe was never a suspect or even appeared on some so-called drug list.
About: President Rodrigo Duterte built his campaign on being tough on drug dealers and addicts. After half a year in power 4300 people are killed, 33,830 have been arrested and 764 742 have voluntarily given up because of fear of becoming a victim of the so-called

The fragile Ceasefire in Ukraine

Location: Kiev, Ukraine
Caption: IDP. Lena (32), bomb shelling killed her husband, sister and 2.5-year-old son in Uhlegorsk
About: A prolonged crisis in Ukraine began on 21 November 2013, when then-president Viktor Yanukovych suspended preparations for the implementation of an association agreement with the European Union. This decision resulted in mass protests by its proponents, known as the "Euromaidan". After months of such protests, Yanukovych was ousted by the protesters on 22 February 2014, when he fled the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev. Following his ousting, unrest enveloped the largely Russophone eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, from where he had drawn most of his support. An ensuing political crisis and Russian military intervention in the Ukrainian autonomous region of Crimea resulted in the annexation of Crimea by Russia on 18 March 2014. Subsequently, unrest in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine evolved into a war between the post-revolutionary Ukrainian government and pro-Russian insurgents, supported and often assisted by the Russian military and special forces.

The fragile Ceasefire in Ukraine

Location: Slovyansk region, Ukraine.
Caption: Igor from special detachment patrolling in the outskirts of Slovyansk searching for pro-Russian insurgents.
About: A prolonged crisis in Ukraine began on 21 November 2013, when then-president Viktor Yanukovych suspended preparations for the implementation of an association agreement with the European Union. This decision resulted in mass protests by its proponents, known as the "Euromaidan". After months of such protests, Yanukovych was ousted by the protesters on 22 February 2014, when he fled the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev. Following his ousting, unrest enveloped the largely Russophone eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, from where he had drawn most of his support. An ensuing political crisis and Russian military intervention in the Ukrainian autonomous region of Crimea resulted in the annexation of Crimea by Russia on 18 March 2014. Subsequently, unrest in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine evolved into a war between the post-revolutionary Ukrainian government and pro-Russian insurgents, supported and often assisted by the Russian military and special forces.

The fragile Ceasefire in Ukraine

Location: Slovyansk, Donetsk region, Ukraine
Caption: Patrolling in Slovyansk, Officer Maxim from 12-battalion looking trough pro-Russian hideout.
About: A prolonged crisis in Ukraine began on 21 November 2013, when then-president Viktor Yanukovych suspended preparations for the implementation of an association agreement with the European Union. This decision resulted in mass protests by its proponents, known as the "Euromaidan". After months of such protests, Yanukovych was ousted by the protesters on 22 February 2014, when he fled the Ukrainian capital city of Kiev. Following his ousting, unrest enveloped the largely Russophone eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, from where he had drawn most of his support. An ensuing political crisis and Russian military intervention in the Ukrainian autonomous region of Crimea resulted in the annexation of Crimea by Russia on 18 March 2014. Subsequently, unrest in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine evolved into a war between the post-revolutionary Ukrainian government and pro-Russian insurgents, supported and often assisted by the Russian military and special forces.

The drug war in the Philippines

Location: Manila, Philippines
Caption: The body of an unidentified man discovered by the police in Metro Manila. The victim had several gunshot wounds and according to the police a suspect of selling drugs.
About: President Rodrigo Duterte built his election campaign to be hard against drug addicts and addicts. Ten months later, under President Dutert's regime, 9,000 people have been killed, mostly drug users and pushers. Over one million addicts have surrendered themselves to the police for fear of becoming victims of the so-called "vigilante" murder. But President Dutert's drug campaign drew great criticism of various human rights organizations.

Syrians seek refuge in Bulgaria

Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Caption: Syrian refugee waiting in limbo, refugee camp Vrajdebna.A
About: Despite the absence of war, the conditions in the camps are harsh and the future for the refugees seems not as bright as they have imagined it before crossing the borders of Europe
Book: Refuge:Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro, Foreword by Leif Stenberg, Introduction by Antoan Bozhinov, Rough Dog Press 2015, 141pp, 67 Black and White illustrations, 17x 24cm, Tritone, Softcover, Language English.

Gadhimai festival

Location: BARIYARPUR, NEPAL
Caption: Family gather to sacrifice a goat during the festival. 2014
About: Gadhimai festival was a sacrificial ceremony that was held every 5 years at the Gadhimai Temple of Bariyarpur, in Bara District, about 100 miles (160 km) south of the capital Kathmandu in the southern Nepal, near the Indo-Nepal border, adjacent to Bihar. It was primarily celebrated by the Madheshi and Bihari people. The event involves the large scale sacrificial slaughter of animals including water buffaloes, pigs, goats, chickens, and pigeons – with the goal of pleasing Gadhimai, the goddess of power. In 2015, Nepal's temple trust on announced to cancel all future animal sacrifice at the country's Gadhimai festival.

Brick Factory

Location: Kirtipur, Nepal
Caption: Mother and child stacking bricks.
About: In Kathmandu Valley are several hundreds of factories producing bricks for the region. These factories have for years received massive criticism from both media, NGOs and authorities, something that has not been unwarranted, child labor is rather a rule than exception, and the black smoke coming out of its chimneys contributes to the bad air in Kathmandu.

Syria The War Within

Location: Old town, Aleppo, Syria
Caption: Free Syrian army fighting against regimes armed forces.
About: The Syrian Civil War grew out of the unrest of the 2011 Arab Spring and escalated to armed conflict after President Bashar al-Assad's government violently repressed a revolt.
Book: Syria The War Within:Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro. Rough Dog Press 2013 121pp, 58 Black and White illustrations, 17x 24cm, Tritone, Hardcover, Language English.

The Falling Kingdom

Location: Janakpur, Nepal
Caption: The short railway between Nepal and India are commonly used for smuggling goods.
About: The Nepalese Civil War was an armed conflict against the Government of Nepal fought from 1996 to 2006. The rebellion was launched by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on 13 February 1996 with the main aim of overthrowing the Nepalese monarchy and establishing a 'People's Republic'. It ended with the comprehensive Peace Accord signed on 21 November 2006.
Book: The Falling Kingdom: Photographs by Olof Jarlbro Kant 2008, 89pp. Duetone 65 Black and White illustrations 21×23.5 Hard cover, Language English, Czech.

The drug war in the Philippines

Location: Pasay city, Metro Manila, Philippines
Caption: The body of an unidentified man. On the head was a sign attached saying "wag tularan holdaper, adik ini at pusher ini (barker) dili pamarisan piste amo", which means "do not imitate addicts, muggers and pushers".
About: President Rodrigo Duterte built his campaign on being tough on drug dealers and addicts. After half a year in power 4300 people are killed, 33,830 have been arrested and 764 742 have voluntarily given up because of fear of becoming a victim of the so-called "vigilantes" murders. But President Dutertes drug campaign raises questions like why is it just poor people who suffer from police shootings, extrajudicial killings and mass arrests, when drug abuse in the Philippines is a problem widespread in all classes of society?

Syria: The War Within

Location: Aamria, Aleppo, Syria
Caption: Barrel bomb dropped by Syrian regime forces in the Battle of Aamria
About: The Syrian Civil War grew out of the unrest of the 2011 Arab Spring and escalated to armed conflict after President Bashar al-Assad's government violently repressed a revolt.
Book: Syria The War Within:Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro. Rough Dog Press 2013 121pp, 58 Black and White illustrations, 17x 24cm, Tritone, Hardcover, Language English.

Brick Factory

Location: Kirtipur, Nepal
Caption: Factory workers stacking bricks.
About: In Kathmandu Valley are several hundreds of factories producing bricks for the region. These factories have for years received massive criticism from both media, NGOs and authorities, something that has not been unwarranted, child labor is rather a rule than exception, and the black smoke coming out of its chimneys contributes to the bad air in Kathmandu.

Greek economic crisis

LOCATION: Thessaloniki, Greece
Caption: Violent clashes between police and protesters
About: The Greek government-debt crisis is the sovereign debt crisis faced by Greece in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2007–08. The Greek crisis started in late 2009, triggered by the turmoil of the Great Recession, structural weaknesses in the Greek economy, and revelations that previous data on government debt levels and deficits had been undercounted by the Greek government.

Syrians seek refuge in Bulgaria

Location: Sofia, Bulgaria
Caption: Syrian refugees waiting in limbo, refugee camp Vrajdebna.
About: Despite the absence of war, the conditions in the camps are harsh and the future for the refugees seems not as bright as they have imagined it before crossing the borders of Europe.
Book: Refuge:Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro, Foreword by Leif Stenberg, Introduction by Antoan Bozhinov, Rough Dog Press 2015, 141pp, 67 Black and White illustrations, 17x 24cm, Tritone, Softcover, Language English.

The drug war in the Philippines

Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
Caption: The body of an unidentified man is discovered hidden under a bush by the police in Metro Manila. Just a few meters up the road are another body. Both victims head and arms have been wrapped in duct tape.
About: President Rodrigo Duterte built his election campaign to be hard against drug addicts and addicts. Ten months later, under President Dutert's regime, 9,000 people have been killed, mostly drug users and pushers. Over one million addicts have surrendered themselves to the police for fear of becoming victims of the so-called "vigilante" murder. But President Dutert's drug campaign drew great criticism of various human rights organizations.

Nepal and Mao

Location: Chulachuli, Ilam , Nepal
Caption: PLA) People liberation army, first Division headquarters.
About: The CPN(Maoist) was formed following a split in the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre), and used the name CPN (Unity Centre) until 1995. On February 13, 1996 the party launched the "Nepalese People's War", and it gained control of some rural areas throughout Nepal before a ceasefire agreement was reached. Since their formation in 1994, they were in arms for the establishment of democracy in Nepal. Unlike other communists they support democracy and Multi- party system in Nepal.
Book: Nepal & Mao: Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro Rough dog Press, 2011. 149pp, Duetone 78 Black and White illustrations, 15x21cm,. Hardcover, Language English.

Tibetan independence movement

Location: Katmandu, Nepal
Caption: Tibetan protest outside Chinese Embassy
About: Free Tibet campaigns for an end to China's occupation of Tibet and for international recognition of Tibetans' right to freedom. They mobilise active support for the Tibetan cause, champion human rights and challenge those whose actions sustain the occupation.

Nepal and Mao

Location: Rolpa, Nepal
Caption: PLA- People liberation army morning exercise, fifth division
About: The CPN(Maoist) was formed following a split in the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre), and used the name CPN (Unity Centre) until 1995. On February 13, 1996 the party launched the "Nepalese People's War", and it gained control of some rural areas throughout Nepal before a ceasefire agreement was reached. Since their formation in 1994, they were in arms for the establishment of democracy in Nepal. Unlike other communists they support democracy and Multi- party system in Nepal.
Book: Nepal & Mao: Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro Rough dog Press, 2011. 149pp, Duetone 78 Black and White illustrations, 15x21cm,. Hardcover, Language English.

Syria: The War Within

Location: Aleppo, Syria
Caption: Demonstration against the FSA after a few Free Syrien Army soldiers have been captured for small thefts
About: The Syrian Civil War grew out of the unrest of the 2011 Arab Spring and escalated to armed conflict after President Bashar al-Assad's government violently repressed a revolt.
Book: Syria The War Within:Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro. Rough Dog Press 2013 121pp, 58 Black and White illustrations, 17x 24cm, Tritone, Hardcover, Language English.

Syria: The War Within

LOCATION:: ALEPPO, SYRIA
Caption: FREE SYRIEN ARMY ( FSA) SNIPER IN THE OLD QUARTER OF ALEPPO.
About: The Syrian Civil War grew out of the unrest of the 2011 Arab Spring and escalated to armed conflict after President Bashar al-Assad's government violently repressed a revolt.
Book: Syria The War Within:Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro. Rough Dog Press 2013 121pp, 58 Black and White illustrations, 17x 24cm, Tritone, Hardcover, Language English.

Stonefactory

Location: Jadibuti, Nepal
Caption: Stones for construction
Book: Stonefactory: Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro. Rough dog press 2010 72 pp, Duetone, 35 Black and White illustrations. 21×23.5 Hardcover Language English, French, Czech

The Falling Kingdom

Location: Pasubatinath, Nepal
Caption: Grieving family members
About: The Nepalese Civil War was an armed conflict against the Government of Nepal fought from 1996 to 2006. The rebellion was launched by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on 13 February 1996 with the main aim of overthrowing the Nepalese monarchy and establishing a 'People's Republic'. It ended with the comprehensive Peace Accord signed on 21 November 2006.
Book: The Falling Kingdom: Photographs by Olof Jarlbro Kant 2008, 89pp. Duetone 65 Black and White illustrations 21×23.5 Hard cover, Language English, Czech.

Syria: The War Within

Location: Aamria, Aleppo, Syria
Caption: Free Syrian army combatant are taking cover during heavy mortar bombarding by Syrian regime forces.
About: The Syrian Civil War grew out of the unrest of the 2011 Arab Spring and escalated to armed conflict after President Bashar al-Assad's government violently repressed a revolt.
Book: Syria The War Within:Photographs and text by Olof Jarlbro. Rough Dog Press 2013 121pp, 58 Black and White illustrations, 17x 24cm, Tritone, Hardcover, Language English.

Greek economic crisis

Location: Athen, Greece
Caption: Government debt levels and deficits had been undercounted by the Greek government. Merkel visit in Athens sparks riots.
About: The Greek government-debt crisis is the sovereign debt crisis faced by Greece in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2007–08. The Greek crisis started in late 2009, triggered by the turmoil of the Great Recession, structural weaknesses in the Greek economy, and revelations that previous data on government debt levels and deficits had been undercounted by the Greek government.

Turkey taksim square protest

Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Caption: Violent protest against prime minister Erdogan
About: What began as an environment protest regarding the construction in Gezi Park has grown into a movement against Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan increasingly authoritarian style of leadership.