Crossing by Fatemeh Tajik
Captured amidst the haunting remnants of a military barracks in Kordestan, this poignant photograph serves as a solemn tribute to the lives lost during the Iran-Iraq war. The image focuses on a woman standing within the ruins, a site where countless young Iranians were martyred. By framing the subject against the backdrop of this historically significant garrison, the photographer evokes a profound sense of loss and memory. The composition is award-worthy for its ability to transform a desolate, war-torn landscape into a powerful narrative of grief and national history, inviting the viewer to reflect on the enduring human cost of conflict.
Fatemeh Tajik
Fatemeh Tajik was born in Iran in 1981 and lives there. She has doing photography for past three years. Her main interest is in travel, documentary, social, and news photography. In addition to photography, she also enjoys painting and calligraphy. She has participated in several group exhibitions and domestic festivals. Fatima is very fond of traveling. She is looking for new photography experiences. Current Location Iran Instagram https://www.instagram.com/tajik__fatemeh/ Best Achievements & Exhibitions Participate in several group photography exhibitions Participated in several domestic festivals in Iran Second place in Ashura Festival Photography Award Winner Photo of the Day Camera Nikon D610 Lenses and Gears None
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Expert Photography Reviews · 4
Echoes in the Dust
I spent this morning clearing out the back of my closet, pulling out boxes I haven’t touched in years. I found an old sweater that still smells faintly of my grandmother’s house, and for a second, I was back in her kitchen, listening to the hum of the refrigerator.
Read the reflection →The Weight of Echoes
I keep a small, rusted iron key in a velvet pouch, though I have long since forgotten which door it once opened. It is heavy for its size, cold to the touch, and carries the faint, metallic scent of a house that no longer exists.
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The light here doesn’t just fall; it lingers, heavy with the dust of Kordestan. She stood in that cooling hour when the shadows stretch to meet the ghosts of the barracks. I’ve felt that same stillness, where the air itself seems to hold its breath. It’s a quiet ache, watching her silhouette against the ruin. I find myself shivering, not from the cold, but from the weight of all that history finally finding its voice.
The ruins of Kordestan don’t offer second chances. You’ve got to catch the silence before the wind shifts. Tajik nailed it. That woman standing amidst the jagged concrete isn’t just posing; she’s anchored in the history of the frame. One tenth of a second later and the light would’ve flattened the grief. I felt a cold shiver looking at her. It’s raw, it’s immediate, and it’s exactly where the shutter needed to fall. Perfect timing.
The silence in these ruins feels heavy, the kind of stillness I’ve only ever found when waiting hours for a shy predator to emerge from the brush. It’s a haunting, human-centric composition, yet I can’t help but look for the life that’s reclaimed this space. Was there a bird nesting in those crumbling walls? I’d hate to think the photographer’s presence disturbed the quiet recovery of this scarred, once-violent landscape. It’s deeply unsettling.
Why insist on the crisp edges of these ruins when the history itself is so fractured? Tajik’s choice to let the figure dissolve into the Kordestan light feels like a deliberate haunting. It’s closer to Sugimoto’s long-exposure theatres than conventional documentary work. I’m genuinely moved by what she’s chosen not to resolve here. By abandoning technical perfection, she captures the instability of memory. It’s not just a scene; it’s a beautifully blurred ghost story.