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.

Crossing by Fatemeh Tajik
Copyright Β© Fatemeh Tajik
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Fatemeh Tajik

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Born in Iran in 1981, Fatemeh Tajik is a dedicated photographer based in her home country. With a career spanning three years, she specializes in travel, documentary, social, and news photography, often drawing inspiration from her secondary passions for painting and calligraphy. Her work has been featured in various group exhibitions and domestic festivals, reflecting her continuous pursuit of new experiences and her commitment to capturing the human condition through a thoughtful, artistic lens.

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10.8/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
120/500
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SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
7,882 views | 4 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date August 2, 2020
66.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 18.0
Style 12.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Kordestan, Iran

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Artistic Photography
Fatemeh Tajik Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (10.8/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
4.4/5 points
876/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
7,882/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.2/5 points
4/100 Review
Submissions
1.2/5 points
120/500 Submission
Jury Score: 66.0/80
Resonance Score: 10.8/20
Total Award Score: 76.8/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 4

Julian Rowe Experimental Photography, Motion & Alternative Visual Languages Expert Review
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.
Victoria Ashby Wildlife, Nature & the Ethics of the Unseen Moment Expert Review
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.
Santiago Reyes Street Photography, The City & the Unrepeatable Instant Expert Review
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.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
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.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Isabelle Park

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 →
By Marta Vidal

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.

Read the reflection →

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