Ali Zolghadri, a fine art photographer based in Tehran, has captured the striking geometry of the Iran Mall in a phone photograph that has been shortlisted for the 2026 Sony World Photography awards in the creative category.
The World's Largest Shopping Mall
The Iran Mall in Tehran is the largest shopping mall globally. Zolghadri recalls it being relatively empty on the day he took the image, which was four months before the US and Israel launched their war on Iran. He describes the central atrium as 'a huge, futuristic space with sweeping curved lines, layered architecture, metallic surfaces and massive skylights.'
Light and Geometry
'The clean geometry and the way light moves through the structure really caught my eye,' Zolghadri says. 'It's a public space, but because of its scale, it often feels quiet and almost otherworldly.' The shot is a composite of three images, carefully blended to remove unnecessary elements while preserving the essence of the scene.
Manual Editing, No AI
'As a fine art photographer, editing is an essential part of my process,' Zolghadri explains. 'Every element in the final composition was photographed by me, but some unnecessary elements were removed, and the frames were carefully blended in Photoshop. I don't use AI in my workflow; everything is captured and edited manually by me. The post-production process is a continuation of the creative act, not a shortcut.'
Human Scale
Zolghadri intentionally kept a passerby in a white shirt to provide a sense of scale to the expansive space. 'For me, fine art photography is not only about capturing a moment, but about constructing meaning,' he says. 'When I look at this image, I feel a mixture of admiration for the architectural structure and awareness of the human vulnerability within it.'
The Sony World Photography awards 2026 exhibition will be held at Somerset House in London until 4 May.
