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Iran II
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Iran II

(The Intro below is from Iran I)

I went to Iran in 1971 to work on a book of the 2500th celebration of the formation of the Persian Empire.
 
It was instant culture shock. I had never experienced heat (like this) before. On a less that 110°F day I saw a security guy sitting at his desk with a heater to mitigate the cold.
 
Security was unbelievably tight. Everybody had to wear photo ID. That included people like Haile Selassie and Ferdinand Marcos. You get the idea. People with machine guns were every few feet. The Shah was in power at the time and I was supposed to photograph him (no photographers used the expression “shoot someone” the entire time I was there).
 
I passed the assignment to Burt Glinn because he was better dressed than I was and had brought a tuxedo along. I am always the worst dressed person in the room so they were relieved not to have me visible to VIPs.
 
The celebration itself took three or four days as I remember it. Then we went off to other places to “shoot Iran”.
 
I was arrested the first day of the trip because of lack of proper ID. I showed the police my photo ID for the “2500thCelebration of the Founding of the Persian Dynasty”. He said that was yesterday. “Today you need new ID.”
 
Of course it was all resolved because our guide knew a guy who knew a guy who knew the cop I was dealing with.
 
Contrary to most of my trips that ended up with me photographing mostly people, in Iran, I was amazed at the architecture, the interiors, and the landscape, as well.
 
It was an overwhelming trip. A kaleidoscopic journey that I still count as one of my favorite experiences.
 
I am saddened by what has happened since then, but I feel that it will inevitably change as all political relationships do.

Row of Women All in Chadors, Iran
Row of Women All in Chadors, Iran
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Dome and Minaret with Birds, Iran
Dome and Minaret with Birds, Iran
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Close-up of Dome and Flying Bird, Iran
Close-up of Dome and Flying Bird, Iran
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Kids Playing Against Long Wall, Iran
Kids Playing Against Long Wall, Iran
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Fountain with Geysers of Water, Persepolis, Iran
Fountain with Geysers of Water, Persepolis, Iran
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Mosque with Reflection, Isfahan, Iran
Mosque with Reflection, Isfahan, Iran
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Zoroastrian Temple with Silhouetted Child, Iran
Zoroastrian Temple with Silhouetted Child, Iran
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Three Figures Against Tiled Walls, Iran
Three Figures Against Tiled Walls, Iran
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Boy and Girl Against Onyx Wall, Iran
Boy and Girl Against Onyx Wall, Iran
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Children and Woman Against Wall with Ornamental Iron Work, Iran
Children and Woman Against Wall with Ornamental Iron Work, Iran
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Crowd of People Amongst Trees, Iran
Crowd of People Amongst Trees, Iran
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Policeman on Bridge with Bizarre Shadow, Iran
Policeman on Bridge with Bizarre Shadow, Iran
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Two Men with Flag in Fabric Store, Iran
Two Men with Flag in Fabric Store, Iran
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No. 1 Bird in Iran in Isfahan, Iran
No. 1 Bird in Iran in Isfahan, Iran
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No. 2 Bird in Iran in Isfahan, Iran
No. 2 Bird in Iran in Isfahan, Iran
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Boy's Head Against Graffiti, Iran
Boy's Head Against Graffiti, Iran
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Two Boys in Bakery, Iran
Two Boys in Bakery, Iran
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Pattern of Tile and Sky, Iran
Pattern of Tile and Sky, Iran
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Portrait of Man Against Tiled Wall, Iran
Portrait of Man Against Tiled Wall, Iran
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Women in front of Loom, Iran
Women in front of Loom, Iran
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Kids in Small Town, Posing, Iran
Kids in Small Town, Posing, Iran
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Old Man Laughing with Portrait of Shah in Background, Iran
Old Man Laughing with Portrait of Shah in Background, Iran
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Man at Mosque Carrying Bucket, Tiled Sculptured Wall, Iran
Man at Mosque Carrying Bucket, Tiled Sculptured Wall, Iran
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Rays of Light, Iran
Rays of Light, Iran
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Boy with Paper Airplane, Iran
Boy with Paper Airplane, Iran
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Brass Pendant with Dome in Background, Iran
Brass Pendant with Dome in Background, Iran
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Music Room with Acoustic Penetration, Iran
Music Room with Acoustic Penetration, Iran
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Woman Against Aqua Wall, Hand to Face, Iran
Woman Against Aqua Wall, Hand to Face, Iran
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Men in Prayer with Sunlit Tiled Wall in Background, Iran
Men in Prayer with Sunlit Tiled Wall in Background, Iran
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Boy Laying on Ground, Iran
Boy Laying on Ground, Iran
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Detail of Arched Wall, Iran
Detail of Arched Wall, Iran
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Two Men with Tiled Walls, Iran
Two Men with Tiled Walls, Iran
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Pattern of Light, Man Spraying Water, Iran
Pattern of Light, Man Spraying Water, Iran
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Two Men, Blue Coats, Outside of Shah Cheragh, Iran
Two Men, Blue Coats, Outside of Shah Cheragh, Iran
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Wide Shot of Outside of Shah Cheragh, Iran
Wide Shot of Outside of Shah Cheragh, Iran
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Holy Tombs in Shah Cheragh, Iran
Holy Tombs in Shah Cheragh, Iran
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Shah Cheragh, No. 1 Glistening Mirrors, Iran
Shah Cheragh, No. 1 Glistening Mirrors, Iran
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Shah Cheragh, No. 2 Glistening Mirrors, Iran
Shah Cheragh, No. 2 Glistening Mirrors, Iran
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Close-up of People Among Trees, Iran
Close-up of People Among Trees, Iran
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Backlit Silhouetted Group of Soldiers, Iran
Backlit Silhouetted Group of Soldiers, Iran
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Inside of Press Tent, Iran
Inside of Press Tent, Iran
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Throwing Water on Rugs, Iran
Throwing Water on Rugs, Iran
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Calligraphy on Brass Wall, Iran
Calligraphy on Brass Wall, Iran
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Boy with Donkey and Load of Hay on Forest Road, Iran
Boy with Donkey and Load of Hay on Forest Road, Iran
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Side of Bus with Kids Laughing and Posing, Iran
Side of Bus with Kids Laughing and Posing, Iran
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Endo of Iran II Collection_iran-17Man8in8Blue8and8Man8with8Stick8Iran
Endo of Iran II Collection_iran-17Man8in8Blue8and8Man8with8Stick8Iran
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