42 Hours in Tehran with M4 and Neopan 400

[raytoei]

I was only in Tehran for 42 hours last week, but I had a great time.

I didn't go to the fabled Shiraz or Isfahan but I shot around
8 rolls of Neopan 400 mainly on Street Photography.

"Cleric reciting a prayer off the iPhone "

The above was taken from Dubai on EK971 flight to Tehran.

Coming with a Singapore passport, the visa was applied on arrival.

The customs stopped to check my stash of 35 and 120 film,
as well as my rolleiflex. As the film were unopened and still in the box,
there wasn't any issues. The customs ladies were more curious than
being strict.

"en route to hotel" Leica M4 with Summaron 35f2.8

Tehran is a modern city built from years when it was flushed
with oil revenue. However, the recent years has not been
kind, the 80% decline of its currency against the greenback
and and drop of oil revenues from 6m barrels a day down to
under 2m daily.

Yet the city is clinging on, garbage disposal trucks
operate daily by uniformed crew, people go to work, the
traffic jams are notorious (similar to Jakarta or Bangkok
on a busy day but not as bad a Dhaka traffic). Banks
offer atm, phone and internet banking.

"Going to work by Bus" Leica M4 with Summaron 35f2.8

(to be continued).

 

[raytoei]

Tehran has a good mix of the modern, and traditional. Women dress
conservatively, but spend money on the hair and face. I have
heard that more than 50% of the young population go for
cosmetics surgery. (I saw more than eight individuals with
bandages across the nose on the 2nd day).

Woman walking past a poster remembering the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

"My Hotel Front Desk"

"Street"

The above picture was shot with the camera slung on the right shoulder,
while I pretended to look at my phone on my left hand,
i remember switching the aperture beforehand to f8
and focusing on 3-5 metres ensuring I got the focusing correct.
The framing is off, although the effect isn't too bad.

(To be Continued)

 

[nightwolf75]

geez... u visited tehran... wow... :heart:

were the people suspicious of you pointing the camera at them?

 

[Blackmafia]

Great stuff Felix.

 

[raytoei]

I spent an afternoon at the Holy Defence Museum,
this is a newly opened Museum documenting the
eight year war with Iraq back in the '80s.

I saw lots of Russian made tanks and American F-4 Phantoms,
Cobra attack helicopters and lots of mechanized vehicles.

Inside, the Museum was no less impressive, made with German
audio and visual technologies, it was a very interesting to see
photos, exhibits and video clips of the war.

Plaster-cast of the debris found after the bombardment of Khorramshahr,
one of the first cities under attack by Iraq early in the war.

(to be con't)

 

[raytoei]

(The following images are not meant to offend,
if you are offended, please let me know and I
will remove them).

Officially, Iran has a strained relationship with the West,
and in particular, the USA. Billboards and Murals warn
the masses about the "Great Satan".

Poster of US President posing next to a 7th century Villain
with the caption ""Be with us, be safe."

An "Argo" moment at the former US Embassy.

The former US Embassy, surrounding walls.

(to be continued)

 

[raytoei]

i will probably finish developing the
last few rolls and post them tomorrow.

 

[dimashp]

Hi bro, I just want to say! AWESOME!!!
This is probably way out of photography scope. How are the Iranian fare towards street photography? Are they open, excited or reserved? Cheers!

 

[raytoei]

hi,

actually, i stick out like a sore thumb, being oriental asian.
but the population is quite urban and quite bo-chap,
of course a bit of smile will go a long way...

Straight Thick-Skin and ask them to pose shot:

Policeman

Some guy with Cool hairdo

Hotel Chef cooking an omelet for me.
Shot on the Rolleiflex

Shopkeeper

Me with a Haircut.

raytoei

 

[ricohflex]

Raytoei

The Iranians in this photo are a bit wary of you taking their photo. You can see this expression in their eyes. Interesting.

"Going to work by Bus" Leica M4 with Summaron 35f2.8

(to be continued).

 

[raytoei]

one last straight on shot:

Florist.

 

[wolfton]

Subscribed.

Awesome thread and something which I personally love to do someday.

 

[Double Negative]

What a fascinating look inside Iran! Thanks so much for sharing.

As a "westerner" these pictures would probably be next to impossible for me to capture.

 

[Shen siung]

Nice street photo, good job!

 

[NazgulKing]

Raytoei

The Iranians in this photo are a bit wary of you taking their photo. You can see this expression in their eyes. Interesting.

I would imagine they are given that they have something of a uber police state going on.

 

[Riotbmx]

Love that photo of the lady at the hotel's front desk

 

[raytoei]

Finally developed the last few rolls...

well a couple of things technically, as i scanned this 2 x 135 and 2 x 120 format,
i realised that there were a number of keepers. it wasn't surprising because these were
the last rolls of Tehran, just when I finally got a hang of using the M4 with the Summaron.

I went to the spice bazaar in South Tehran, this place was huge and sold spices outside
while inside were shops selling everything from shoes to clothes to watches. Men would
be selling stuff while the women would be shoppers.

Smack in the courtyard, I saw a tight group of men, holding phones and they seem to
be speaking to each other but also keenly aware as a group.

They set the Rates

I was quite curious and then my guide told me they bought and sold the USD and thus set the
unofficial price of the US currency in Iran, in other words, a live black market in action.

(to be continued)

 

[raytoei]

indoors, the bazaar shops seemed to go on forever...

Clothes

Luckiest guy in the world

Watches

(to be continued).

raytoei

 

[raytoei]

This last post shows some of the other images that I like.

Petroleum Ministry

Morning Newspaper Stand

Girls love the TLR, always.

FIN. Thanks for Watching.

raytoei

 

[PapaLi]

raytoei

:thumbsup: