Chemical Reaction

June 29, 2022 by Donna from MyOBT 9 Comments

Rahi Rezvani for *The Eye of Photography Magazine*

Iran-born, Netherlands-based photographer Rahi Rezvani shoots remarkable, evocative portraits that I find myself going back to again and again. When he was abruptly forced to leave Iran at the age of 19 because a photo he took was determined to be objectionable by the government censors, Rezvani had to leave many of his favorite photo negatives behind, a loss from which he hasn’t really recovered.

“…I miss the country where I was born and which I may never see again. My father has phrased it in the best way: I have my life back even though it is by a beautiful-if-bittersweet accident that got me where I am today.”

Rezvani says he’s always looking for a chemical reaction between himself, the shutter, and his subject. His influences are more from painters and music than other photographers, a tendency that clearly shows in his painterly work.

“Though I admire many photographers… my inspirations come more from painters like Hieronymus Bosch, Francis Bacon, and Rembrandt, music, human body, and simply talking to people…”

Rezvani’s website includes one of the most beautiful landing pages I’ve ever seen. I recommend you turn on your sound, click on his website link below, and just let it wash over you.

You can see all of Rezvani’s amazing photographs on his beautiful website and on Instagram.