Advertising photography in Iran

Photography is an old art considering the amount of time its presence has been felt in Iran. The magic box arrived in 1844. Even though Iranian photographers have a saying when it comes to photojournalism, advertising photography has not progressed as much. Rarely is heard of an Iranian winning photography competition in this category.

This is not due lack of quality equipment and photography gear. Hasselblad, Broncolor, and Profoto are among the luxury brands that are found in the hands of photographers in Iran nowadays. Photography brands are considered to be amongst the most expensive and luxurious. However, photography gear is not everything.

The best gear will not turn a mediocre photographer into a master photographer but in the hand of a capable photographer, it will be a different scenario altogether. When a good picture discussion comes up, a few criteria come to mind as to what it means. Certainly, the first factor that plays the most important role is lighting.

After all, photography means writing with light. Secondly, a good composition would add weight to an image. A technical prowess in terms of choice of lens and camera to more subtle settings such as white balance, ISO, shutter speed and aperture, would differentiate a good picture from a bad one.

Last but not least, the creative approach sets pictures apart. The concept behind the image is a crucial factor. Iran's photography is held back by a huge flux of copycats who do not wish to take risks by creating something unique. This is not part of the photographer's fault.

Photography is not painting or music that was invented and grown in Persia. Photography was brought from western civilization. Although Iranians had the time to put their spin on concepts to be photographed, they chose to copy

the style of advertising photography from the west. This does not mean that Iran lacks great photographers. Quite the opposite actually; Iran has some of the most talented photographers yet the problem relies on the creative approach. Maybe it is time for Iranian photographers to go back to their cultural roots and get inspired.

*He is a professional photographer, documentary maker and critic of photography and movie