Iran

Shooting the Rosewater Festival in Qamsar for Atlas Obscura

Every Year during the spring time, a small town in the highlands of central Iran called Qamsar, starts the harvesting of pink roses, many workers gathering them for rosewater distillers, A Persian tradition dating back to 2500 years ago.

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a close-up of Javad jafari's hand picking a rose

a close-up of Javad jafari's hand picking a rose

A blooming rose in Farfehan village of Qamsar.

A blooming rose in Farfehan village of Qamsar.

A worker hand picking roses in the 900 Jaribi land in Qamsar.

A worker hand picking roses in the 900 Jaribi land in Qamsar.

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a worker taking a rest after a hard work of handpicking roses in the 900 Jaribi land.

a worker taking a rest after a hard work of handpicking roses in the 900 Jaribi land.

Filling the copper vats with roses, in Qamsar rosewater museum.

Filling the copper vats with roses, in Qamsar rosewater museum.

Pouring water in the copper vat full of handpicked roses.

Pouring water in the copper vat full of handpicked roses.

In the Shahre Golab Rosewater Store, the distillation process has begun.

In the Shahre Golab Rosewater Store, the distillation process has begun.

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Rosewater products, such as these inside the Shahre Golab Rosewater Store, are sought after by visitors to the town.

Rosewater products, such as these inside the Shahre Golab Rosewater Store, are sought after by visitors to the town.

Exhibited In Craft & Folk Art Museum in LA

My Video will be showcased In the Craft & Folk Art Museum in LA and also in Irvine Viewpoint Gallery in Orange County.

Press Release PDF
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A Visual Journey through Iran : Sistan&Baluchistan

Swarthy is seemingly, this old and everlasting land; yet how it bristles with spirit. Jaggedly meets your eyes, yet how harmonious this terrain, torn apart and tolled by sectarian tilt, sustain its people. Having cultivated a thousand year history - that compelled Ferdowsi to borrow its hero for his Shahname (The Book of Kings) . What turn has it taken now that it is relegated to the back of beyond? The land where the first rise of the morning sun is promised to its people is at the dusk of this nation. 'Sistan and Baluchistan' a south eastern underdeveloped region with vast lands of rugged, mountainous terrain, bordering the neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan, where smugglers illicitly enter in and out of the lawless borders through risky routes, surviving from the poverty inflicted by the high rising unemployment. A long-forgotten province, isolated due to its relentless droughts and desolated lands with people repleted with pride and poetry, bonded to their ancestral soil where they endure the harsh climates throughout the dry seasons. This is a brief visual-journey of my overland trip to this long-forgotten land, blotted in the minds of most people with fear and misery. Having travelled for nearly 2 months from Sistan all the way down to Baluchistan, and being enraptured by the majestic and hypnotic landscapes and welcomed by people still fueled with life and honor, I deeply feel these visceral impressions throughout my journey will stay with me forever. Video by : Ebrahim Mirmalek ( http://abimirmalek.com/sis-baluch/ ) Music : Shwan Tavakol ( http://www.shwantavakol.com )

Swarthy is seemingly, this old and everlasting land; yet how it bristles with spirit. Jaggedly meets your eyes, yet how harmonious this terrain, torn apart and tolled by sectarian tilt, sustain its people. Having cultivated a thousand year history - that compelled Ferdowsi to borrow its hero for his Shahname (The Book of Kings) . What turn has it taken now that it is relegated to the back of beyond? The land where the first rise of the morning sun is promised to its people is at the dusk of this nation.

'Sistan and Baluchistan' a south eastern underdeveloped region with vast lands of rugged, mountainous terrain, bordering the neighboring Pakistan and Afghanistan, where smugglers illicitly enter in and out of the lawless borders through risky routes, surviving from the poverty inflicted by the high rising unemployment. A long-forgotten province, isolated due to its relentless droughts and desolated lands with people repleted with pride and poetry, bonded to their ancestral soil where they endure the harsh climates throughout the dry seasons. This is a brief visual-journey of my overland trip to this long-forgotten land, blotted in the minds of most people with fear and misery. Having travelled for nearly 2 months from Sistan all the way down to Baluchistan, and being enraptured by the majestic and hypnotic landscapes and welcomed by people still fueled with life and honor, I deeply feel these visceral impressions throughout my journey will stay with me forever.

Fruit Workers of Gorgan

This is a series I did in 2012 which was commissioned by the Sarv Art Project to Photograph the current condition of workers in the fruit market of Iran/Gorgan district. for every 1 Ton of fruit and veg they carry to unload or load trucks the workers get paid only 3000 Tomans which is less than a dollar, Children collecting Fallen Fruits from the ground or Trash and reselling them outside the Market, truck drivers are always on hold waiting to get loaded. I became interested in their personal writings behind their trucks which are a mix of poems, religious writings and moral slogans etc…which often depicts the workers personality and Nostalgic feelings towards his own life.

Alamut

Alamut is a region in Iran including western and eastern parts in the western edge of the Alborz (Elburz) massif, between the dry and barren plain of Qazvin in the south and the densely forested slopes of the Mazandaran province in the north. Starting from Qazvin toward Alamut, passing through the first range of hills, curvatures, forms, scars, wrinkles are significant themes in nature's composition of this area. Two big citadels of Ismailists, Lambsar and Alamut castles are in this area. In 1090 A.D, Hassan-i Sabbah the leader of Ismailites in Iran and his Hashashins (Assassins) controlled the area for many years. [Source]  

I started photographing this unique and untouched area In Iran since june 2012 mainly with an analogue horizon camera and a medium format Holga trying to capture the spirit and mood of this region.