Iran the beautiful, a book on the beauties of our homeland
Photographer: Daniel Nadler
|
VARA<MIN |
| In
distinctive ways, Iran is one of the most photogenic countries in the
world -- a place where dazzling architecture is set amid desolate
expanses of desert or steppe; where snow-capped mountains plunge
dramatically to a seacoast of steamy lushness; where nomads guide their
flocks to seasonal pasturelands; where tombs, temples, castles, and
mosques bespeak the richness of the Persian past. High and dry for the
most part, the land is sectioned by great mountain ranges, dotted with
venerable villages of mud and stone as well as modern cities, and has a
cultural fabric woven of many different threads -- Persian,Turkic,
Kurdish, Baluchi and even Mongol. For a photographer to capture such a
mix of spectacular terrain and cultural complexity is a formidable
challenge, one that Daniel Nadler, an American born in Egypt, has met
brilliantly in Iran the Beautiful. This book, comprising more than 170
photographs, takes as its symbolic center the magnificent landmark of
Mount Damavand, the highest peak in the Middle East, and ranges outward
from there north to the Caspian Sea, east as far as Gonbad-e Kavus, west
toward Zanjan, and south to Isfahan. All lie no more than a day's drive
from the great volcano, yet within those bounds can be found a spectrum
of landscapes, lifestyles, and architectural treasures that show why
Iran, once seen, can never be forgotten.
Valley Cloud No country ever fully yields to a camera: For the photographer, there always will be more roads to travel, more to see and record. Honoring a country's beauty is a different story, however, and a first-time visitor actually has an advantage, bringing to the task a fresh and wondering eye. As a construction manager, I have lived in many places around the world, but none has stirred me so deeply as Iran. It is a world of stark contrasts and ravishing vistas: snow-capped mountains plunging to lush lowlands; deserts and steppes sprawling under a crystalline sky; rivers roaring through gorges; flat-roofed mud villages sustained by mere trickles of water; stone huts clinging to mountainsides; nomads and their flocks moving according to the rhythm of the seasons. With its immense spaces and spectacular terrain, Iran feels ageless, infused with a glorious rich history in the form of palaces and mausoleums built for ancient rulers, caravansaries from the days of the Silk Road, dazzling mosques, and much more. It isn't necessary to travel far in order to experience Iran's range of beauty. This book is structured as a compass of my explorations. As a symbolic center and starting point, I have chosen Mount Damavand, the highest peak in the Middle East and a magnificent landmark in Iran. From there, my photographic journeys extend north to the Caspian Sea, east as far as Gonbad-e Kavus, west toward Zanjan, and south to Isfahan. All lie no more than a day's drive from the great volcano, yet within those bounds can be found a spectrum of landscapes, lifestyles, and architectural treasures that show why Iran, once seen, remains anchored in memory. --Daniel Nadler
Caspian Rice Field DANIEL NADLER is an American engineer who was born in Egypt to European parents. A passionate photographer all his life, Nadler is a graduate of Cornell University and has traveled throughout the world as a construction manager. He is the author and photographer of China to Order: Focusing on the XIX Century and Surveying Polychrome Export Porcelain Produced during the Qing Dynasty, 1644Ð1908 (Vilo, 2001). Daniel Nadler lives in New York City with his Iranian-born wife Serga. They are working on a new book called Ethnic Adornments: A Survey of Silver Jewelry, and preparing a traveling photographic exhibition of portraits from around the world.
Zanjan
Jaajrood
Gonbad
|
