Historical Review of Iran War Photography during (1980-1988) with an Emphasis on Professional, Independent, and Military Photographers

Problem Definition: 

The goals and methods of producing the work of documentary photographers, in terms of the influences they receive from each historical period, are formed at the same time as recording the work; However, what they have shown is now a symbol of the historical past. Photography, as an effective and dynamic art-media, presents many alternatives to artists and journalists. In this research, the historical investigation of these effects on war photography (backgrounds and formation process) is conducted to answer the following questions: «What have been its national and international effects, centered on influential groups of professional, independent, and military photographers?» and «What effects have the political and social factors of that period had on photography in terms of form and content?»

The primary goal of this research is to deal with the history of Iranian war photography as its formation and effects, during Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), which is called sacred defense or imposed war in the country's political literature.

The current research is conducted using a descriptive-analytical and historical method. The data was collected through a documentary-library approach using visual and interview (the author and the photographers of this course) methods.

Based on the results, the two events of the Islamic Revolution of 1978 and the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war caused fundamental changes in documentary photography and, accordingly, in Iran's war photography in terms of form and content. Iranian photography was formed under the influence of the general movement of the people with mainly ideological and religious themes and a revolutionary approach. These changes, besides the revolutionary and religious atmosphere dominant in that period, result from the original and native look of many of these photographers, especially independent photographers (experienced and amateur).