[Man standing on rocks]. Albumen print, Getty Museum. Public domain photograph.

John Burke was born in Ireland in 1843 and began his career as a photographer in the 1860s. He became known for his portraits and landscapes, but it was his work documenting the Second Anglo-Afghan War that made him famous. In 1878, Burke was commissioned by the British government to accompany their troops to Afghanistan and document the war. He captured images of battles, landscapes and daily life in the war-torn country, providing a unique perspective on the conflict. Burke's photographs were widely distributed in Europe and America and helped to shape public opinion about the war. His images were also used by the British government for propaganda purposes, helping to justify the country's presence in Afghanistan. Burke continued to work as a photographer after the war, but he never achieved the fame he had during his time in Afghanistan. He died in 1900, leaving behind a legacy of powerful images that provide an insight into a turbulent period of history.