My last project, there was a personal project I did listen, it's about women singers in
Iran.
I sold lots of print, so it adds to my economical income because museums are stopped by my work
and collectors and galleries, so I think as a photographer, besides working for magazine
and newspaper, you always should have one personal story that is your story, because
when it's personal, it would be much more stronger and yeah, you know, so before that
I could not sell my news photographs to like museums and galleries, but my last project
I started doing that and actually I'm happy with it, yeah.
After 2009, news photography became a bit difficult in Iran, so I could not do the same
thing I used to do, so I started finding new way of expressing myself with my images and
I found new way and that became my last project listen and I had, five months ago, I had exhibition
in Tehran and then of course through my gallery people, they start finding out who I am and
they became interested in my work and then some other outside of Iran galleries, they
were interested, so you know, it takes time, but you will get there, but it's just like
picture before, especially news photographers, they didn't sell lots of prints because they
were thinking people, galleries and museums, they were thinking this is not art, but now
we are in a time that there's no border in photography, you can be news photographer
but looking at the situation in a very artistic way, it's quite unique place and there are
so many untold stories, so for me as a photographer I'm privileged because I don't need to go
far away places to work, so I can be home and I know the subject and it's personal, I care
about so it's more effective, then just go somewhere for two weeks, you don't know nothing
about it and you don't really care, you know, and then after that come up with the story
that you know, you really care, most of the photographers, they just go there to capture
the reality and it's important to do, but for me capturing reality, it's home because
that's my reality and that's how I'm going to work, like more stay at home and choose
the subject that it's personal and it's close to my heart.
