Room 103

"While Kramer may only see himself as perpetuating a cycle of exploitation, this book represents his obligation to reverse the trend, to make sure that the people with whom he is interacting and whose stories he is telling do not become just another number."—Lauren Heinz, Foto8

In Room 103, photojournalist Jeroen Kramer juxtaposes his insider's view of Middle Eastern everyday life with the intense violence that permeates that life. Images rarely depicted in photographs from the Arab world—of male intimacy nuanced with homoerotic undertones, domestic interiors, family gatherings, eerily ordinary street scenes—appear beside visceral images of the aftermaths of shootings and bombings. Kramer's accompanying personal essays probe the meanings not only of his place in the Middle East, but also of the exploitative nature of photojournalism. No other book has so lyrically, succinctly, and honestly questioned the role of the photojournalist. Exposing the personal demons born from his life and work, Kramer proves that it is his recognition of these demons that brings his photography so close to the truth.

Jeroen Kramer is a Dutch-born photojournalist who has covered subjects in the Middle East, Africa, Burma, and the Philippines. His work has been published worldwide, including in The New York Times and Vanity Fair, and his images have been featured in exhibitions throughout Europe and the United States.