Russell Klika

Russell Lee Klika, a newspaper and former U.S. military combat photographer, photojournalist [Russell Klika, " [http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=news/news_show.php&id=7817 Paratroopers Land at Brassfield-Mora] ", "Digital Video and Imagery Distribution System," September 25, 2006 (accessed May 23, 2008).] and trainer, grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, 100 miles north of Milwaukee.

Photo career

Klika, at age 17, joined the U.S. Marine Corps and eventually became a combat photographer and trainer." [http://www.sru.edu/pages/14798.asp Combat photographer brings war photos to SRU for lecture, workshops] ", Slippery Rock University press release, January 29, 2008.] Staff Sgt. Klika served two tours of duty in Iraq, most recently (2006) with the 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment of the Tennessee Army National Guard. [ [http://www.defendamerica.mil/specials/CombatCamera.html www.defendamerica.mil/specials/CombatCamera.html] ]

In late 1980, he left the Marine Corps and became head photographer at "The Vista Press", a now-closed daily newspaper in Vista, California, where he covered the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, California. [ [http://cathyscott.blogspot.com/2007/04/images-new-and-old.html cathyscott.blogspot.com/2007/04/images-new-and-old.html] ] He left the newspaper in 1992 and worked for the "Escondido Times Advocate" until 2003. While at "The Vista Press", in 1992 he was awarded Best of Show photo in the San Diego Press Club's annual journalism contest.

In 2004, he joined the 278th Regimental Combat Team Tennessee Army National guard as a noncommissioned officer in charge of public affairs, joining their tour in Iraq. After he returned, he became an operation warrior trainer for the first army and a combat photography trainer in public affairs at Camp Atterbury in Edinburgh, Indiana. [ [http://thetension.blogspot.com/2007/01/combat-camera-training-at-camp.html thetension.blogspot.com/2007/01/combat-camera-training-at-camp.html] ] When his service ended in February 2008, Klika became a contract employee for the National Guard in Smyma, Tennessee, where he currently supervises civilian photographers assigned to the National Guard.

In April 2007, Klika won first place in the Military Photographer of the Year contest for his portrait of an Iraqi child. In February 2008, 40 of his Iraq photos were displayed at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. In May 2008, Klika was awarded an honorable mention in the Art of Photography Show for a photo titled "Faces of Iraq," on display at the Lyceum Theatre Galleryin downtown San Diego. [ [http://www.artofphotographyshow.com/2008_awards.html www.artofphotographyshow.com/2008_awards.html] ] In February 2008, he had two one-man shows and gave lectures at Point Park University [ [http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/living/events/s_551089.html pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/living/events/s_551089.html] ] and Slippery Rock University [ [http://media.www.theonlinerocket.com/media/storage/paper601/news/2008/02/08/News/War-Pictures.Captured.By.Visual.Artist-3196703.shtml media.www.theonlinerocket.com/media/storage/paper601/news/2008/02/08/News/War- Pictures.Captured.By.Visual.Artist-3196703.shtml] .] In May 2007, his photos of soldiers saving a dog along the Syrian-Iraqi border were featured on an animal rescue news site. [ [http://network.bestfriends.org/kentucky/news/15289.html Compassionate soldiers rescue Iraqi dog ] ]

In late May 2008, his photos appeared with eight other combat photographers' in the "Eye of the Storm" gallery showing in West Hollywood, California. [ [http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-iraq18-2008may18,0,5940990,full.story View from the front lines - Los Angeles Times ] ]

Klika is a 1988 graduate of the Eddie Adams Workshop and the first military photographer selected to attend. [ [http://flickr.com/people/russell_lee_klika/ Klika's page at Flickr] , claiming that he was "the first military photographer, selected to attend the Eddie Adams Experience in Photojournalism workshop"; [http://www.eddieadamsworkshop.com/usr/usr-show?U_ID=U0000X10cdVqQZxw Klika as 1988 graduate] , eddieadamsworkshop.com; [http://www.eddieadamsworkshop.com/usr/search?QRY=UH_YEAR%253D1988%2526U_ATIME%253DNOT%252BNULL%2526UH_USER_ID%253DU00009NZ_CRtdO1Q&start=25&pagtotal=37 Klika among list of 1988 graduates] , eddieadamsworkshop.com.]

External links

* [http://www.fra.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Events1&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=5463 Featured in "SRA Today" magazine, "Combat Shooter: The not-so-still life of a combat photograher" (Oct. 2007)]
* [http://www.army.mil/-images/2007/08/29/7452/ U.S. Army site with images by Russell Klika]
* [http://www.blackanthem.com/TheAllies/military_2006051207.html May 2006 article with photos by Klika in "Blackanthem Military News"]
* [http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/jul2006/a071106wm3.html Article in "Defend America" that includes Klika's photos]
* [http://www.nppa.org/member_services/find_a_photographer/gallery/#k Member, National Press Photographers Association]

Notes