The photo book ‘Life in War’ by Majid Saeedi, Iranian documentary photographer, is now available in the domestic market. The collection was selected for the International Foto Evidence Book Award 2014, and has been published in the US.
The book includes 85 black and white photos, and has an introduction by Ed Kashi, American photojournalist and member of the VII Photo based in the Greater New York area, and Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Afghanistan, ILNA reported.
“The collection is probably the only book on Afghanistan that doesn’t show images of war. For ten years, his camera photographed daily life in the context of war. Speaking the local language, Majid mingled with the Afghan people rather than with an alien army. His photographs reveal the humanity of a people living through decades of war... His sensitive eye, artistic vision, journalist’s skills and intimate access combine to create this illuminating portrait of a country we in the West only see through the eyes of military intervention, the deaths of our soldiers, the failure of our policies and the abject vision of this country’s people, culture and way of life,” says Kashi in his introduction to ‘Life in War’.
It has won several prizes: Master Award - Italy (2014), Lucas Dolega Award (2014), World Press Photo (WPP-2013), UNICEF Award (2010), R.F. Kennedy Award (2012), the second place in National Press Photographers Association (NPPA -2013), gold medallion in China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP-2010) , RPS Wall Grant in Japan (2013) and 25th Anniversary of Visa Pour L’Image, Perpignan, France, 2013.
Saeedi’s latest award recognizes a documentary photographer whose project demonstrates courage and commitment in addressing a violation of human rights, a significant injustice or an assault on human dignity. The award-winning work is published in a book, as part of a series of ‘Foto Evidence’ books dedicated to the work of photographers whose commitment and courage create an awareness of social injustice.
Special Interest
Majid Saeedi, born in 1974 was raised in Tehran. He has also photographed the Middle East with a focus on humanitarian issues for the past two decades. He takes special interest in telling the untold stories of social injustice through his photos. On his trips to several countries in the Middle East he photographed “the injustices as well as the atrocities.”
He has managed the photography department of various news agencies in Iran and headed many key projects for over 15 years. One of Majid’s interests is street photography to portray people and ordinary life.
Besides winning numerous prominent photography awards from around the world, for the past eight years, he has received the title ‘Best Photographer of Iran’. His work has been published in international media including Times, Spiegel, Life, New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Times, Time Magazine and various Middle Eastern publications and online agencies.
His latest work displays the images of landmine victims in Afghanistan.
