Frank Weiss III

One of Frank's photos of an Afghan man

Frank Weiss

Frank Weiss III, a Liberal Arts graduate, shared photos he captured in Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2007 while he was working with the Dutch Army as a member of the U.S. Air Force Security Forces.

Following the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan after nearly two decades of war, the Taliban overtook the capital city of Kabul. 

"The best part of my day was hanging out with these guys, taking their pictures and printing them out to give to them the next day. Sadly, most of the photos were lost on a failed hard drive, but their excitement and eagerness to socialize with ‘an American soldier’ is as vivid as ever," recalled Weiss. 

The last image he took before his camera was run over by a humvee was a portrait of an Afghan man with a twinkle in his eye that invites viewers to wonder what stories he has to share. In Detroit, the photograph was awarded best in show at a cultural photography exhibition. 

In an interview as a student, Weiss said,

"Art has a purpose. Art should enlighten people and move them to action."