When There Is Love – Life Begins by Zahraa Al Hassani

In this evocative still life, the photographer captures the enduring sense of childhood wonder that persists into adulthood. By juxtaposing a vibrant red heart against the whimsical backdrop of a fairy tale bookshelf, the image explores the intersection of innocence and color. The choice of a shallow depth of field, achieved with a 50mm lens at f/1.8, isolates the heart, making it the poignant focal point of the composition. This photograph is award-worthy for its ability to transform simple, nostalgic objects into a sophisticated visual narrative, inviting viewers to reconnect with the magic hidden within the mundane.

When There Is Love – Life Begins by Zahraa Al Hassani
Nikon D7100 with Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G
Exposure 1/500sec @ f/1.8 | ISO 200 | Focal Length 50mm
Copyright © Zahraa Al Hassani
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Zahraa Al Hassani

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Baghdad, Iraq, Zahraa Al Hassani balances a successful career as a senior graphic designer at Zain Telecommunications with a dedicated pursuit of fine art photography. A graduate of the University of Technology in Baghdad, she leverages her extensive design background to refine her photographic perspective, often creating custom visuals for her professional projects. Her work is defined by a commitment to purist photography and a constant desire to acquire new knowledge, reflecting a creative journey that evolved from early experimentation with Sony equipment to her current mastery of Nikon systems.

Profile View Full Profile
11.3/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
108/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
12,270 views | 4 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date September 6, 2014
66.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 17.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Baghdad, Iraq

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Still Life Photography
Zahraa Al Hassani Photography
Zara Otaifah Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (11.1/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,368/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
12,270/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
1.1/5 points
108/500 Submission
Jury Score: 66.0/80
Resonance Score: 11.1/20
Total Award Score: 77.1/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 4

Dmitri Kasakov Contrast, Shadow Drama & the Metaphysics of Light Expert Review
The red heart bleeds into the shallow depth of field, yet it’s the darkness between the books that truly haunts me. Al Hassani doesn’t just frame a toy; she forces us to confront the void where childhood dreams go to wither. It’s a cruel, beautiful tension. I’ve stared at these shadows for an hour, and I’m unsettled by how much they know about our inevitable loss. Light here isn’t warmth; it’s an interrogation of what remains.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most still lifes I review are merely decorative, but this one hits differently. By pinning that vibrant red heart against the chaotic, whimsical spines of the bookshelf, Al Hassani forces a collision between adult sentiment and childhood memory. It’s the shallow depth of field that saves it; the blur behind the heart feels like a fading dream. I’ll admit, it made me miss my own childhood books. It’s a rare, quiet anchor in a noisy world.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The shallow depth of field creates a claustrophobic isolation. It’s a gamble that doesn't quite pay off. The red heart sits heavily, yet the surrounding bookshelf lacks the structural geometry to anchor such a saturated focal point. The composition drifts, failing to resolve the tension between the foreground mass and the blurred background. It’s technically precise, but I’m left wanting a firmer architecture. The frame feels hollow, lacking the necessary rigour to hold its own weight.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
It’s quiet here, isn’t it? Zahraa didn’t rush this. She waited for the light to soften against those spines, letting the red heart breathe in the stillness of a Baghdad afternoon. I’ve spent hours in rooms just like this, listening to the silence settle. It’s a fragile, holy kind of innocence she’s found. Looking at it, I feel a sudden, sharp ache for the simple magic we’ve all misplaced somewhere along the way.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Priya Kapoor

The Weight of a Secret

The smell of old paper always brings me back to the attic of my childhood home. It is a dry, vanilla-sweet scent, like dust settling on stories that have been waiting for decades to be told.

Read the reflection →
By Sven Lindqvist

The Weight of Small Things

We collect things as if they were anchors. A stone from a beach, a book read in a different life, a scrap of paper with a name written in haste. We believe these objects hold the warmth of the moments they represent.

Read the reflection →

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