As a journalist, my job has taken me into some pretty scary situations. Gang wars? Check. Gun violence? Check. Hostage dramas? Check. Chased by armed men? Check. I’ve also been to some pretty creepy places. Crime scenes. Mortuaries. Maximum Security Prisons... Check, check and check. 

Even so, a few of the pics here send shivers up my spine. There are the dangerous and deadly, and then of course, the downright creepy. To be honest, I’m surprised some of these people had the nerve (and the time) to take photos.

Someone with nerves of steel is L. Taylor. We've withheld his full name at his request to protect his family. He’s a highly trained former bodyguard, who is now working for a global security company. He’s faced some extreme danger on the job, and agreed to share some of his scary experiences with Bored Panda.

Taylor’s work has taken him around the world. He has a long list of terrifying “outdoor offices” that might make you want to chain yourself to your boring desk job forever. But there’s one that really stands out. “I worked in Mosul, Northern Iraq towards the end of the liberation from Isis, living in a rented house in the old city,” he told us. 

“The area of operation was classed as Extreme-Risk and it was the most destroyed city in the world at the time. There were vehicle-borne IEDs exploding within a 500m radius of our house daily. Multiple liberation exercises around us weekly.”

For context, a PBS article reported at the time, “investigations by the Associated Press and NPR estimate anywhere between 5,000 and 11,000 civilians were killed in the fighting.”

Not only has Taylor feared for his own life, he’s also lost friends and colleagues along the way. “It is always a risk,” he said. “When I worked in a 17-man team in 2015, we were well trained and were actively preventing crime. But through desensitization and skill fade, many of my team-mates are now unfortunately not with us.”

Taylor added that extreme danger doesn’t just lurk in war zones. “I have also worked in some of South Africa's highest-risk townships, combatting armed robbery and organized crime syndicates,” he added, saying some of those times were the most challenging in terms of controlling threats. 

If it's so incredibly dangerous, why does he do it? We had to know… 

“It’s a calling,” answered Taylor. “You get to help people and if you get the right contract, it's worth it financially.”

On the topic of contracts, who has he protected in the past? It would be unprofessional not to ask... “It would not be professional to name them, but I have protected politicians, actors and sports professionals around the globe. I have also worked for ultra high net worth individuals and families in many locations,” he revealed.

But there’s another type of client he willingly puts his life on the line for. “My preference is working with the NGO sector, who regularly operate in developing countries, resource-poor communities and conflict affected areas,” he told Bored Panda.

Donald Trump’s attempted assassination in July reminded us that not even powerful (former) presidents are immune to danger on the job. In case you missed it, Trump literally dodged a bullet when a gunman narrowly missed his head and shot his ear instead, at a packed rally in Pennsylvania. One person died and another two were injured in that incident. 

Police have since revealed the gunman searched for details about John F. Kennedy’s assassination just a week before the rally. 20-year-old Thomas Crooks managed to fire eight shots in six seconds before a U.S. Secret Service sniper eliminated him. The Secret Service and Trump’s security detail have come under fire for not preventing the shooting. 

We asked Taylor for his thoughts on the incident. “This was a catastrophic failure of the U.S. Secret Service,” he replied bluntly. “The purpose of these teams is to ensure no one ever gets close enough for this to happen.” It’s a sentiment that’s been echoed by others, and the head of the Service has since stepped down.

Taylor worked “boots on the ground” for fifteen years before taking up a high level position as Security And Risk Consultant at a global security company. He’s held several different roles in the security sector over the years - and even worked as a police officer at one point. 

“I worked in the breach and penetration team. A unit mandated to combat gangsterism with a focus on clamping down on the drug trade. We would be deployed as needed in the most hostile of locations,” he said of his time in the police force. “Replicating what I learnt in the police, I took this into the private sector, working for a tactical security company, protecting township based retail outlets from armed robbery and extortion.”

He’s had stints as a bodyguard for celebrities and the super rich. He’s been in charge of security for a major oil and gas operation in Iraq. He’s managed security teams in the Middle East. He knows more than a thing or two about how to stay safe. 

So what’s his advice for those who face danger on the job, or in everyday life? Keep scrolling to find out…

“Seek out professional training, practice those skills until they become habitual. Then maintain those skills to eliminate skill-fade. You should look to refresh these skills regularly,” he suggested. “Further to this is to remain situationally aware at all times, stay familiar with the threats and risks that exist in the environment you are operating and constantly look to mitigate them.”

And for those with big dreams of becoming security detail to the likes of celebs, sports stars or singers, he had this advice: “If you are looking for a career in security, be passionate and never stop learning. The most dangerous thing you can do is become complacent. Train regularly, stay fit and invest in your equipment.”

As for his own training, Taylor has done quite a few courses to get where he is today. “I did a Close Protection in High Risk Environments course with a global industry leader. This enhanced my existing skills and refined them to a point of above adequate preparation for the risks and threats that exist in the industry. I also did a Tactical Course through a reputable tactical security company,” he said.

And if something does go wrong, Taylor needs to know how to deal with the situation. “I have done multiple medical first responder courses, focusing on first aid in combat situations. This was all on top of the advanced tactical courses I did in the police,” he told us.

While some of Taylor’s stories are super scary, it turns out his is not the deadliest job in the world… That title goes to loggers. The people who cut down trees.

Have you seen your life flash before your eyes while working? Tell us all about it in the comments. And please, keep safe!