Iranian photographer says İstanbul Photo Awards prize evokes him to inform tales of peace

Irem Ozal and Gizem Nisa Demir

• ‘I all the time attempt to present peace and dignity,’ Hashemi tells Anadolu, saying 5 months of persistence led to his prize-winning ‘Barfi’ venture at İstanbul Photo Awards 2026

Iranian documentary photographer Matin Hashemi stated profitable third prize within the Story Portrait class at İstanbul Photo Awards 2026 has inspired him to proceed documenting on a regular basis life in Iran by means of tales centered on peace and human dignity.

Hashemi spoke concerning the award he acquired for his collection “Barfi” throughout İstanbul Photo Awards 2026 exhibition organized by Anadolu in Ankara.

“I think this is a great honor for me to be here,” Hashemi informed Anadolu. “This prize is helping me to improve my work and help me to publish my work for all of the world’s people. The world’s people can watch my work.”

The award-winning collection follows Ahmad Reza and his white donkey foal, Barfi, which implies “snowy” in Persian. The animal has made an uncommon social media phenomenon in Iran, in response to Hashemi.

Hashemi stated he first found the story on Instagram and spent 5 months searching for permission to doc Ahmad Reza and Barfi. After lastly receiving approval, he traveled from his hometown of Tabriz to the outskirts of Tehran, the place he spent a day and a half photographing their day by day lives.

He stated one of many largest challenges was gaining the animal’s belief and acquiring the required permits to {photograph} the donkey in city settings, the place maintaining such animals in public locations is restricted in Iran.

“My photo story’s name is Barfi. Barfi means snowy,” he stated.

Communicating advanced realities

Hashemi, a documentary photographer and filmmaker, stated his work focuses on portraying extraordinary folks and on a regular basis life moderately than battle.

“I always try to show the subjects which can be peace and dignity,” Hashemi stated, noting that he likes to painting life tales.

He described documentary pictures as one of many occupation’s best challenges as a result of it requires constructing belief with folks whereas documenting actuality faithfully.

“Documentary photography is one of the hardest works in the world. But it is so sweet for me,” he stated, including that as a result of he is aware of the folks, their relationships, and their journey.

Commenting on the function of pictures within the age of synthetic intelligence, Hashemi stated genuine documentary photographs proceed to resonate with audiences as a result of they current actual tales and experiences.

He stated pictures stays a strong medium able to speaking advanced realities in a short while and contributing to a greater understanding of society.

Born in 1998 in Tabriz, Hashemi is a social documentary photographer, filmmaker, and pictures teacher. He has acquired a number of worldwide awards and grants, together with the Cortona Grant, DPPF Grant, LensCulture, and the Stenin Photo Award.

Since its launch in 2014, İstanbul Photo Awards has grown right into a platform involving greater than 21,000 individuals, contributing to pictures not solely by means of awards but additionally by means of exhibitions and picture albums that includes profitable works.

More details about the award-winning images and jury members of this yr’s contest, organized with the help of Turkcell because the communication sponsor, could be discovered at istanbulphotoawards.com.