“Moreover, the women directly impacted by war are still a challenge to represent. Reuters did a great piece on children being born under the Islamic State, which means they’re born without any papers. Getting them registered into the Iraqi state will be a big issue. I feel like most women want to talk about their experiences. They want their voices heard, but the population is still very scared to speak openly. It’s a volatile and fluid situation. People need to feel truly safe and secure, and we haven’t quite made it there.”

Iraq, DiCenzo says, is home to very patriarchal societies and, given that she spends most of her time photographing the predominantly male armed forces, two things often happen to her. “I will typically have a few ‘temporary brothers’ looking after me – these are soldiers that have decided to take it upon themselves to make sure I’m ok. I also get asked for selfies all the time,” she says. “You know things are settled down when fighters start asking for your photo again.”

DiCenzo believes that the most important personal traits for a photojournalist are calmness, smartness, patience and dedication. When asked, she says that there should never be any pressure to be without fear. “You need your fear,” she stresses. “No one should be nonchalant when working in a war zone. Even if the day and the situation seem calm, a mortar can go off and change that in an instant. I prefer to work with people that take these risks very seriously.”

Knowing the risks, staying alert, and keeping focused, there is nothing that DiCenzo would rather be doing. This is critical work and there are messages she hopes to spread with the images she takes and shares with the world. “I have worked a lot with the fighting forces in Iraq who are battling against the Islamic State,” she says. “I have witnessed soldiers being shot and killed. Iraqis, with the help of the coalition forces, are giving their lives to fight this intense war against jihadist militants that the whole world is rightfully terrified of. I hope that my images will confront people with the realities of what’s happening and encourage them to think about how Iraqi society is shouldering the brunt of the impact and the damage that is being carried out.”