Mehdi Vosoughnia

Mehdi Vosoughnia (born 1971 in Qazvin, Iran) is an Iranian documentary photographer and university lecturer based in Tehran. He works as a guest lecturer at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, and at Manzar Studio. His main areas of activity include documentary photography with a focus on urban and architectural photography. ^{[1] [2]}

Vosoughnia began his photography journey in 1988 through independent classes offered by the Iranian Youth Cinema Society. This period coincided with profound social transformations in Iran, which steered him toward documentary photography. In recent years, his work.^[2] has centered on capturing Iran's landscapes, particularly urban areas, with a critical eye on city spaces and cultural identity. His approach often falls within the cityscape genre, where he aesthetically documents the physical elements of urban life. A recurring theme in his photography is the deliberate absence of people, which creates an evocative sense of ghostliness. This technique portrays human presence not through figures but through lingering traces and symbols, framing themes like mortality as a liminal state between existence and erasure rather than a definitive end.^[3][4]

Vosoughnia holds a bachelor's degree in photography from the Faculty of Art and Architecture at Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, and a diploma in graphic design from Valiasr Technical School in Rasht.^[2] During his studies, he was mentored by prominent instructors such as Bahman Jalali, Kaveh Golestan, and Yahya Dehghanpour.

Vosoughnia's works have been exhibited in more than fifty solo and group exhibitions in Iran, Europe, Canada, United States, and Middle Eastern countries.^[1] He has also been active as a juror in numerous photography events. Among the most notable are the 7th Press Photo of the Year Award in Iran (2025), ^[5] the Sheed Award for Documentary Photography in 2016,.^[6] the 9th edition of Ten Days with Iranian Photographers (2019),^[7] as well as the 3rd ^[8] and 8th Annual Student Photography Festivals at the University of Tehran (2018 and 2025).^[9] Alongside photography, Vosoughnia works as an art director and editor of photography books, and his works have been published in specialized journals in Iran and abroad.^[1]

• 2022–present: Member of Photography Department, Iranian Youth Cinema Society.^[10]
• 2020: Scientific Secretary of 5th Annual Student Photography Festival, University of Tehran.^[11]
• 2019: Curator of the exhibition, Landscapes Before the Eyes, Silk Road Gallery, Tehran^[12]
• 2018: Member of Policy Council of Sheed Social Documentary Photography Award ^[13]
• 2017: Art Director of 6th Ten Days with Iranian Photographers.^[14]
• 2016: Curator of the exhibition: "Valiasr Street", Silk Road Gallery, Tehran^[15]
• 2015: Secretary of 2nd Foad Photography Festival^[16]

• At Home, Tehran (2020–2021)^[2]
• Pamenar, Tehran (2013–2014)^[2]
• Anzali, Bandar Anzali (2012–2014)^[2]
• Ye Photograph, remain eternal as a memorial of me! Qazvin (2004–2006)^[2]
• Family Burial Chambers, Qazvin (2004–2008)^[2]
• Père Lachaise, Paris (2006–2007)^[2]
• Grand Hotel, Qazvin (2009)^[2]
• Women's shoe workshop, Tehran (1995)^[2]
• Masouleh, Masouleh (1995–2011)^[2]
• The Sea, Gilan and Mazandaran (2008–2021)^[2]

• 2025: Contemporary Photography in Iran, Aram Mohammadi, Palgrave Macmillan, London,UK^[17]
• 2024: Rethinking the Contemporary Art of Iran, Hamid Keshmirshekan, Skira, Milan, Italy^[18]
• 2017: Contribution to Iran, année 38, Textuel, France^[19]
• 2008: Contribution to Iranian Photography Now, ed. Rose Issa, Hatje Cantz, Germany^[20][21]

• 2021: One Hundred Years of Cityscape Photography in Tehran, Elmi Farhangi Publishing, Tehran^[22]
• 2015: Pamenar, Bongah Publishing, Tehran^[23]
• 2015: Kahrizak A Window to Life, Haft Rang Publishing, Tehran^[24]
• 2014: Anzali, Nazar Publishing, Tehran^[25]