Snowing in Amman by Bashar Alaeddin
When a rare and heavy snowstorm blanketed Amman in January 2013, Bashar Alaeddin seized the opportunity to document the city’s transformation. Venturing out as the storm subsided, he focused on a prominent roundabout sculpture—a symbolic book depicting figures climbing toward knowledge. By capturing the scene through a car window while light snow continued to fall, he framed a fleeting, candid moment of local joy. The image is award-worthy for its ability to turn a civic landmark into a narrative of human connection, masterfully balancing the stark, wintry atmosphere with the subtle, spirited movement of a figure waving from the sculpture.
Exposure 1/500sec @ f/8 | ISO 125 | Focal Length 24mm
Bashar Alaeddin
Born in Kuwait City and having spent his formative years between Jordan and Lebanon, Bashar Alaeddin brings a diverse cultural perspective to his work. With over nine years of experience, he transitioned from a hobbyist to the founder of a professional photography and video studio in Amman. His practice is defined by a balance between commercial projects—ranging from food to portraiture—and his deep passion for capturing the landscapes and night skies of the Middle East. As an amateur astronomer, he frequently integrates his fascination with the cosmos into his evocative photography.
Resonance Score Breakdown
Transparency Note: The resonance score (12.2/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.
Expert Photography Reviews · 6
The Silence of White
Why does the world feel most honest when it is covered in a shroud of white? Perhaps it is because the snow acts as a great eraser, muting the sharp edges of our daily routines and the relentless noise of our ambitions.
Read the reflection →The City Under Wraps
I remember the morning the power went out in my childhood home. It wasn't the darkness that struck me, but the silence. The usual hum of the refrigerator, the distant drone of traffic, the ticking clock—everything had been swallowed by a thick, heavy blanket of snow.
Read the reflection →Reviews & Comments
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Shooting through a car window is usually the refuge of the lazy, yet here, it’s a tactical necessity. Amman in snow is a rare beast, and Alaeddin clearly didn’t wait for the comfort of a tripod. I’ve spent enough hours shivering in drifts to appreciate the instinct to capture that waving figure before the moment dissolved. It’s a fleeting, honest scrap of life. He didn’t just find this; he caught it. I’m impressed.
Before the eye identifies the sculpture, a sudden stillness settles in the chest. It’s the cold, muffled silence of a city caught off guard. I feel that familiar, sharp ache of nostalgia for a place I’ve never been. When I return to this frame, the waving figure isn’t just a detail; it’s a heartbeat in the frost. It’s the fleeting, human defiance against the white void that makes me want to hold my breath.
Most urban photography is forgettable, but this shot sticks. Of the thousands I’ve reviewed, few capture a city’s soul so precisely. By shooting through glass, Alaeddin turns a cold, rare storm into a warm, human moment. That tiny figure waving from the sculpture isn’t just a detail; it’s the reason I’ll remember this in thirty years. It makes me smile every time I look at it. It’s a fleeting, perfect slice of Amman’s history.
At f/8, the 24mm focal plane renders the sculpture with clinical sharpness, yet it’s the glass of the car window that fascinates me. Those micro-droplets of melting snow act as tiny, imperfect lenses, refracting the city’s light into soft, chaotic bokeh. It’s a beautiful optical accident. I’m genuinely moved by how the diffraction of light across that cold surface softens the harsh geometry of the 7th Circle. It’s a rare, fleeting intersection of physics and human joy.
The frame catches a breath. It’s that rare, suspended second before the film cuts to black. Through the glass, the 7th Circle loses its concrete weight, replaced by a soft, cinematic blur. That figure waving from the sculpture? It’s pure kinetic energy trapped in ice. I’ve watched this loop a dozen times; it’s the shot the editor keeps because it’s the only one that feels alive. It’s a beautiful, fleeting rhythm I’d kill to have filmed.
1/500sec at f/8, ISO 125, 24mm. The shutter speed is a calculated choice; it freezes the flakes without turning them into static dust. Shooting through glass at f/8 keeps the sculpture sharp while the foreground blur remains controlled. It’s a clean, disciplined execution. I’ve seen enough sloppy street work, but this actually holds up under scrutiny. It’s cold, precise, and technically sound. I’m genuinely impressed by the restraint shown here. It’s a rare, functional success.