Who Photographed Iran’s Revolution Abbas Attar member of Magnum Photos

Abbas Attar: Iranian Photojournalist Capturing Humanity's Struggles

Attar Abbas, better known simply as Abbas, was a renowned Iranian photographer who left an indelible mark on the world through his photojournalistic works.  His career spanned over six decades, and his powerful black and white photographs documented some of the most significant social and political upheavals of the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Early Life and Career

Born in 1944 in Iran near the Pakistan border, Abbas' interest in capturing historic events blossomed during his childhood in Algeria amidst the country's war for independence.  He honed his photographic skills independently and landed an early assignment with the International Olympic Committee at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico.  This experience in Mexico would later prove influential, leading him to return and create a defining photographic series on the country in the 1980s.

Documenting Global Conflict and Revolution

The 1970s marked a pivotal period in Abbas' career.  He became affiliated with French agencies Sipa and Gamma, and his lens focused on the aftermath of the Biafran War in Nigeria.  He then returned to his native Iran, where he documented the Iranian Revolution with a critical eye.  While initially hopeful for change, he became disillusioned by the revolution's trajectory and the Ayatollah Khomeini's regime.  His photo series "Iran Diary: 1971–2002" (2002) captured this historical event through a personal lens, combining images and text in a journal format.  

Beyond Conflict Zones: Exploring Humanity and Faith

Abbas' work extended beyond war zones.  His project "Return to Mexico: Journeys Beyond the Mask" (1992) showcased his ability to capture the essence of a place through in-depth exploration.  This project, along with his travels documenting Mexico in the 1980s, is credited with shaping his signature aesthetic.

Later in his career, Abbas embarked on a unique exploration of religion, creating extensive photographic essays.  His works, including "Allah O Akbar: A Journey Through Militant Islam" (1994), "Faces of Christianity: A Photographic Journey" (2000), "Les Enfants du lotus, voyage chez les bouddhistes" (2011), and "Gods I've Seen: Travels Among Hindus" (2016), explored Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, and animism.  These projects showcased his ability to find the human element within these vast belief systems, examining the political, social, and psychological aspects of religion.   

A Philosophical Approach to Photojournalism

Abbas' approach to photojournalism was both insightful and nuanced.  He distinguished himself from "battle photographers" by focusing on the complexities of conflict, its root causes, and its long-term consequences.  He believed a photographer's role went beyond capturing sensational moments, emphasizing the importance of context and reflection.  He stated, "My photography is a reflection, which comes to life in action and leads to meditation." 

A Legacy of Powerful Imagery

Abbas was a member of prestigious photographic agencies like Sipa Press, Gamma, and Magnum Photos, becoming a full member of Magnum in 1985.  Throughout his career, his work was published in major world magazines.  He passed away in Paris in 2018, leaving behind a legacy of powerful and evocative imagery that continues to resonate today.   

Abbas' own words about Photography:

 "The choice was to think of oneself either as a photojournalist or an artist. It wasn’t out of humility that I called myself a photojournalist, but arrogance. I thought photojournalism was superior."

 "There are two ways to think about photography: one is writing with light, and the other is drawing with light." 

 "Most photographers, when they say they’re war photographers, they’re not really war photographers; they’re battle photographers. War does not limit itself to boom-boom, to the battle itself. Wars are very, very complex phenomenons, because they have a source, and it takes a while to come up, then it happens, and there are consequences. I’m more interested in the why and the afterwards of the wars."