Iran:
Amazing architecture, a kaleidoscope of colours and breathtaking symmetry: Stunning images show the beauty of Iranian mosques
24-year-old physics student Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji captures the mind-boggling beauty of Iran's mosques
An amateur photographer on the side, Ganji honed his eye by reading articles and watching Internet tutorial videos
Using fish-eye and panoramic lenses, the photographer highlights the stunning light and symmetry of the buildings
Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji may have just found his true calling: capturing the little-seen breathtaking beauty of Iran's most dazzling mosques.
The 24-year-old physics student, who lives in Babol in Iran's Mazandaran province, pursues his passion for photography on the side.
Having no formal training whatsoever, Ganji has honed his eye by reading articles and watching Internet tutorial videos, and has a particular affinity for photographing historical architecture.
Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji captures the little-seen beauty of Iran's most stunning mosques. Pictured: the Pink Mosque in Shiraz
Experimenting with panorama, monument, and landscape photography, Ganji embarked on a project to photograph Muslim places of worship around Iran from unexpected viewpoints over five years ago.
He was inspired after seeing some shots taken from the interior of the Egyptian pyramids online and began to wonder if he too could take pictures of significant historical sites.
From the kaleidoscope-like patterns of the famous Nasīr al-Mulk Mosque (also known as the Pink Mosque) in Shiraz to documenting the intricate ceiling detailing of the Seyyed Mosque in Isfahan, Ganji has travelled to the far reaches of Iran to show foreigners a side of the country rarely seen.
Making the project all the more fascinating is the fact that, while many of these mosques allow for tourists to snap quick photos, most do not allow professional photography equipment through the doors.
This 'little planet view' captures the intricate detailing on the ceiling of the Vakil Mosque, also in Shiraz
'To take professional photos, especially using a tripod, you require permits for most of these locations,' Ganji told MailOnline Travel.
'I go through the paperwork process to obtain a permit a few days before my trip.
'It’s not an easy process and there has been times when even with a permit, I didn’t receive the appropriate reception from the people in charge.'
According to his website, Ganji's believes that the most important element in photography is light, a fact made evident in the images below as he often plays with shadow and streaming sunlight when framing his shots.
Ganji also enjoys photographing popular tourist attractions, such as this historical bath located in Isfahan, south of Tehran
Ganji photographed the plaster ceiling of the music room in Ali Qapu Palace, located in Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan City
'Normally mornings are the best times for photography in any respect,' he told us. 'Specifically, for the lighting and [because] it's less crowded.'
Ganji normally uses wide and fish-eye lenses to capture his stunning panoramic shots.
'Wide lenses provide a larger angle, while panoramic photography offers an even wider angle when joining photographs together,' he said.
'It allows me to show all of the area in one image. Many of my pictures are a combination of more than three images.'
But no matter your lens of choice, Ganji's most important piece of advice?
'Always try to find the distinguishing elements of the place that you're going to photograph,' he told MailOnline. 'Imagine your final result before staring your panoramic shoot.'
This traditional carpet repair workshop is located near the entrance of the Vakil Mosque and Vakil Bazaar, in Shiraz
This is the stunning ceiling of the Chehel Sotoun Palace (or the Palace of Forty Columns), built by Shah Abbas II, in Isfahan
For those who wish to see the grandeur for themselves, tourism to Iran has tripled in the past year, thanks to improved relations with the West and Iran's newly-introduced measures to facilitate foreign tourists.
The Director of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Organization (CHTHO), Masoud Soltanifar, said: 'Tourist trips to Iran are very attractive, important and cheap for foreigners while at the same time the country enjoys a high level of political and security stability.
'A two-week tourist visa is issued for the nationals of 190 countries at Iranian ports and airports.'
Though the Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel, it's expected that the agency will relax their advisories, especially when it comes to visiting major city centres, like Tehran.
Ganji hopes to continue photographing places of historical significance at other well-known Christian and Jewish monuments around the world and will post them on both his
Facebook page and
website.
Another shot of the finer details of the Ali Qapu Palace ceiling
One of Ganji's favourite places to photograph is the famed Pink Mosque, however, tourists usually block him from getting such stunning shots
Seyyed Mosque is the biggest and arguably most famous mosque from the Qajar era in Isfahan. It was founded in the 19th century
