Wear It. For Life.

The Combat Photographer

We've all tuned in to the evening news and seen the terrifying images of war flash before our eyes, and seen the disturbing photos of the aftermath in the newspapers the next day. By now the images are all too familiar, but perhaps the men and women behind the camera aren't. If you've ever wondered about the people who put themselves in danger in order to capture these unforgettable pictures, meet freelance photojournalist Justin Sullivan.

"You have to be willing to accept the fact that you might get injured or killed," says Justin. "If you think otherwise, you probably shouldn't be there."

Based in San Francisco, Justin recently returned from covering the Israel-Palestine conflict for the San Francisco Chronicle and Getty Images last April. More recently, he covered the 9-11 anniversary in New York City, also for Getty Images. He has worked for Associated Press, Reuters and many major newspapers and national news magazines.

He also wears a Point Blank bullet resistant vest.

"I decided I needed body armor when I decided to cover the conflict in the Middle East," says Justin. He says he found Point Blank on the internet, and was pleased to see it was one of the only companies to accommodate journalists.

Point Blank customer service representative Doug Schofield sold Justin a specially modified International Recon tactical vest. The vest was shortened to accommodate his photo equipment.

"We are extremely proud to provide our body armor to the men and women covering the war," said Edward Lavigne, Point Blank's Vice-President. "They place themselves in harm's way in order to provide accurate accounts of the war to the American people."

Talk about harm's way. While in the Middle East, Justin was crossing the border from Gaza into Israel when a Palestinian gunman opened fire at a checkpoint, killing an Israeli soldier. The Israeli army returned fire with guns and tank shells. He and his reporter were taken to a nearby room with other soldiers as the fighting continued, finally ending after about 45 minutes. But the most disturbing sight he encountered was many kids with guns - some real, some toys - in the Palestinian territories.

Justin remains undaunted, however, and plans to head back to Israel or even Iraq, depending on what unfolds in the area in the coming months. You can be sure he'll bring his body armor with him when the time arrives.

"The vest is great," he says. "It's a lot better than some of the vests I saw people wearing in Israel that were more expensive. It took a pretty good beating and is still in good condition."

He continues, "Doug really took care of me and gave me a good deal. The vest arrived in short time, just three hours before my flight (to Israel)."

Justin says working on a contract basis requires putting himself into situations that will get clients interested, such as combat. And since he is the one ultimately responsible for his safety, you can be sure his Point Blank vest will be just as necessary as his camera when he heads for the danger zone.

Visit Justin's web site at www.jsullivanphoto.com.

Body armor sold by Point Blank outside the law enforcement and military communities requires an official written confirmation of the individual's assignment by the publication.

See Wear It. For Life Part 2: A Blunt Point
See Wear It. For Life Part 3: Letters From Iraq
See Wear It. For Life Part 4: Face to Face With Evil