Oil workers drilling at one of the hundreds of wellheads in Baku, Azerbaijan. The country is the main player in the region exploiting the oil wealth of the Caspian Sea and is the focus of interest of several western oil corporations. April 1995

Working on a rig

Oilworker Mr Ashlanov during a fag break.

Working on a rig

Working on a rig

The men worked in groups of five with they're own mobile cabin made out of scrap.

Having lunch in the cabin.

Working on a rig

Working on a rig

Oilworker in cabin

Working on a rig

Having tea in the cabin

Coast line off Baku

At the home of Ashlanov the family whom I stayed with. It was a family of five children.

Mrs Ashlanov having her cut finger seen to by one of her daughters

The only son of the family

The second eldest daughter at home

Portrait of the Mrs Ashlanov .

Mr Ashlanov putting up some curtains at home.

Group of youg boys around at the Ashlanov home.

During the last years of the USSR a conflict between the Republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia erupted over the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. This region was surrounded by Azerbaijan. Many Azeri inhabitains fleed the fighting into Azerbaijan. I visited a make-shift refugee camp in the city of Ganja. Refugees had made tempory homes in railway frieght carriages and been left to fend for themselves for several years. Here a child sleeps under a fright carriage. Ganja. Azerbaijan

Refugee returning with provisions. Ganja. Azerbaijan

Refugee making bread. Ganja. Azerbaijan

Children sleeping under a railway frieght carriage. Ganja. Azerbaijan

Refugee washing clothes. Ganja. Azerbaijan

WhenI met this gentleman he set out the table and chairs for us and we sat and had lunch prepared by his wife. Ganja. Azerbaijan

Towards the end of a big wedding party in Baku.

The Bride leading the dancing at a wedding party in Baku.

Imam leading mid-day prayers at a mosque in Ganja. Azerbaijan

Mid-day prayers at a mosque in Ganja. Azerbaijan

Women praying at a Russian Orthodox church in Baku.

Worshipper praying at a Russian Orthodox church in Baku.

A young trainee priest watching morning service with one of the elders at a Russian Orthodox church in Baku.

Me with my two fixers Asef and Tahir. Baku