TEHRAN – Several Iranian photographers have been honored at the Siena International Photo Awards.

The Siena photo awards is one of three international photography competitions the Art Photo Travel, an Italian no-profit association organizes every year.

The association creates cultural initiatives aimed at spreading, promoting and enhancing art, monuments, traditions, cultures and natural beauty from all around the world.

“Benediction” by Amir-Mehdi Najaflu Shahpar from Iran won the top prize in the Journeys & Adventures category.

The photo shows Muslim women attending the morning prayers of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, in Hamedan, Iran.

“Blooming” by Vietnamese photographer Thien Nguyen and “Diver and Jacks at Cabo Pulmo” by Christian Vizl from Mexico won took second and third places in this category.

“Life Is Live” by Majid Hojjati from Iran also won an honorable mention in this section. 
 
Fattah Zinuri, another Iranian photographer, was selected as runner-up in the Fascinating Faces and Characters section for his “Taboo” depicting a person clad in a burka. 

“I took this photo inside my home studio in Iran while I was working on a movie project about Afghan immigrants living in Iran,” Zinuri has said about his photo.

“It was the first time that I witnessed in person someone wearing a burka,” he added.

“Mother” by Iranian photojournalist Hassan Qaedi was named Remarkable Artwork in the Documentary & Photojournalism section.

The photo shows a mother who has returned to her destroyed home in Homs, Syria on June 16, 2012 to take her child’s toy after the end of the conflict.

“Frozen Mobile Home” by French photographer Greg Lecoeur was selected as the Photo of the Year at the Siena International Photo Awards.

His photo depicts an iceberg as massive and mysterious habitat that supports marine life.

The winning images are showcased at Via Fiorentina in the Italian city of Siena from October 24 to November 29 during an exhibition named “Imagine all the People Sharing all the World”.

Photo: “Benediction” by Amir-Mehdi Najaflu Shahpar from Iran won the top prize in the Journeys & Adventures category.

MMS/YAW