Mahdi Sorouri born on March 19, 1976 in Tehran, graduated in photography from the Department of Arts and Architecture of Islamic Azad University. He completed his lessons under the expert guidance of great professors such as Seyyed Hasan Dezvarah, Kaveh Golestan, Bahman Jalali, Mahmoud Morovati, Farshid Azarang, and Sasan Afsharzadeh. He began studying analog and laboratory photography with professors Davarzani and Abdolhosseini, and in the meanwhile he experienced teaching at Arts highschools. He started photography as a serious and professional career in 1996 when he won first place in Roshd National Photography Festival as well as getting his work published in Roshd-e-Javan Magazine, and with his presence in the founding board of Farda Photographers Association, he began his activity with Dr. Ahmad Nateghi and Majid Nagahi. In parallel with his activities in Farda Photographers Association from 1997 to 2006 , Sorouri was the director of an, analog darkroom laboratory, a photograph and slideshow studio, and photographic exhibitions of Iranian photographers center . Since 2006, he has been managing Chiilick photo and photography agency, a specialized medium in the photography community of the country, and has been the head editor of the electronic publication of Chiilick National Newsletter.

Cultural & Artistic Activities
Cultural & Executive Positions
Secretaryship & Festival Refereeing
Photo Exhibitions
Interviews & Speeches
Photo Books
Awards & Credit Received
Cultural & Artistic Activities

1-Teaching at Hezbollah Professional Arts Highschool from 1993 to 1997.
2-Teaching photography at the Educational Unit of Iranian photographers center from 1998 to 2004 in the course of the management of Ahmad Nateghi.
3- Writing an article titled “In honor of ‘Abdolhossein Partovi’ and the photograph of Homafaran allegiance to Imam “, honoring one of Iran’s Revolution photographers, February 2009.
4-Teaching at Iranian youth cinema society in the years 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
5- Creating photography lesson plans and a curriculum for photography analysis and criticism and photo review, autumn 2014.
6- Photography Training for Public Relations Directors of Governmental Organizations and Institutions, August 2014
7- Writing an article admiring the impact of the late photographer of Iran’s Revolution Victory titled “Honoring Hossein Partovi and his perspective that remained!”, May 4, 2014.
8- Publication of note in Hamshahri Photo Agency, titled “Photo of Alan Kurdi’s Body in Asar Beach by Niloufar Demir (Turkish Photographer), Sep. 06, 2015.
9- Publication of note with the subject of Publication of Photographers’ Works without Insertion of Photographers Name in Urban Boards titled
“Photographers don’t see! Publish safely”, June 19, 2016.
10- Expert in charge of the planning and development of the comprehensive system of photography education.
11-Membership in the council for the provision and compilation of educational photography courses for children.
12-Membership in the council for the compilation of educational booklets through correspondence system.
13- Holding the workshop of ritual photo and Ashura View in Art Dept. of Semnan Province (Nabiollah Khodabakhshi), Shahrood (Ehsan Razani)

Cultural & Executive Positions

1-Management of the exhibition of professional photographers in the gallery of Iranian photographers center from 1999 to 2006.
2-Management of the laboratory and Photography Education Office of Iranian photographers center from 2002 to 2005.
3- Compilation of independent works from the central provinces of the country such as Azarbaijan, Kurdistan, Sistan and Baluchestan.
4-Director of the Public Relations of the Photographers Association of Holy Defense and Revolution from 2007 to 2008.
5-Management of the database of photographs, photographers, and the country’s photography at chiilick photo and photography agency.
6-Expert in charge of the planning and development of the comprehensive system of photography education.
7-Holding seven street exhibition with themes regarding the day’s occasion and a tendency towards “social documentary”.
8-Holding an exhibition of photographs of the funeral of martyrs from Mashhad to Shahlamecheh to Mashhad-e-Reza at the conference hall of the College of Arts and Architecture.
9- Certificate of Appreciation by Founders Board and Maryam Zandi, chairperson of board of directors of National Iranian Photographers’s Society.
10- Certificate of Memorial from 2nd Iranian Handmade Carpet Photography Competition, and Feysal Mardasi, Head of Iranian National Carpet Center, May 2011
11-planner and host of the 3rd iran Handmade Carpet Competition, February 2013
12-Membership in the Notification Committee of National Iranian Photographer’s Society, 2014.
13-Director of the news agency of the first Biennial of Sports Photography of Iran, December 2014.
14- Obtaining Appreciation Insignia from chairperson and secretary of Iranian National Photographers’ Society, for cooperation and collaboration in informing dept. of “10 Days with Photospheres” Program, Jan. 2016.
15- Obtaining Appreciation Insignia from CEO of Sabz Karan Institute, and secretary of 3rd National Biennial of Social Capital Photography, for cooperation and collaboration in informing dept. of festival, Dec. 2017.
16-Photography expert in several collective trips with the country’s photographers to destinations such as Urmia, Ahvaz, Kerman, Masjed Soleyman, Kurdistan, Golestan, Semnan and Bam as well as many others.
17-Photograph layout specialist in multi-media production of the 4th Marine Life Photo Festival and expert of the last round of the Festival of Photography on Childhood and Spirituality.
18-Membership in the Policy Council of Iran’s Photograph Book in the international arena, coinciding with the commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the Islamic Revolution victory.
19-Secretary of the photography news and reports service of Chiilick Notification and Internet Center.
20-Executive in charge of Iran’s Photograph Book and Database.
21-Art director of the collection of photographs by the world’s great photographers in a multimedia and demo project for students of photography.
22-Head of the News Photographers and video report editing of the first general assembly of National Iranian Photographer’s Society.

Secretaryship & Festival Refereeing

1-Refereeing the first Biodiversity Festival of the Department of Environment, June 2002.
2-Refereeing the photo contest “Students and Children with Special Needs Through the Window of an Image” Tehran, 2003.
3-Secretary of the Jury of the 4th Razavi Photographic Festival, December 2006
4- Member of Referring Council, 7th Biennial of Qom Artists Photography, Feb. 2013
5-Member of the board of Judges and the secretary of the third panel of judges of the provincial mourning of Neinava Pictures, March 2013
6-Secretary of the collective exhibition titled “not to be forgotten”
and its announcement, on the occasion of celebrating the Environment Week, May 2014.
7-Secretary of the collective exhibition of the desert and its announcement, titled “The End of the Earth”, summer 2014.
8-Member of the board of judges for “Life in the City” Competition in Tehran, September 2014.
9-Member of the board of judges in the Photo Festival of Alborz Province, December 2014.
10-Refereeing the photo contest “The Elderly, a Force for Development”
11- Secretary of Board of Referees, 3rd Installations Industry Photography Competition, Dec. 2015.
12-Secretary of the periodic Photo cooperation festival in 2015 and 2016.
13- Secretary of call and group exhibition of “Photo Text”, Feb. 2017.
14- Holding secretary and work author in group photo exhibition
“At the Time of Yellow, to the Horizon of the Sun” with the subject of Sunflower, Melal Gallery, Oct. 2018.
15- Holding secretary and work author in group photo exhibition “Aein Ashura” for the occasion of Hussein Arbaein, Melal Gallery, Nov. 2018.
16- Holding secretary and work author in group photo exhibition “AhleHaram” with the subject of Hussein Ashura, Sep. 2019.

Photo Exhibitions

1-Holding a photo exhibition of individual photography in Beirut, Lebanon – Summer 2007.
2-Participation in the first “Photo Expo” of Iran at Esteghlal Hotel in winter 2007
3-Artwork owner at collective exhibitions of Ashoora : Like This Wine, The Red Green, Ashooraians, Shrine Devotees, Photographs and Tears, The End of the Earth, photo text , not to be forgotten, The Nature Sonatas, etc.
4-Participation in more than 30 collective exhibitions along with the photographers of the country.

Interviews & Speeches

1-Detailed lengthy discussion with Ghanoon Newspaper about the status of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting the society of photographers. “Nothing in its Right Place”
2-Lecture on “The Role of Photography in Environmental Protection” for Managers and Public Relations of Environmental Organizations, Summer 2014.
3-Interview with Shafqna News Agency on the subject of photography of religious themes and the theme of the Husseini Ashoora and the role of beliefs in the photographer’s eyes.
4-Interview with ISNA news agency about taking photographs of nomads.
5-Conducting the theoretical workshop “The Role of Photography as a Medium in Protecting the Environment”, Khorramabad University, 2016.
6-Attending the Photographic Meeting of the Holy Defense Photographers Commemoration with Saeed Sadeghi at the University of Kashan.
7-Host expert of the Meeting with Holy Defense Photographers: Saeed Sadeghi and Ali Fereidouni, Art Hall of Mazandaran Province.
8-Discussion with Ghanoon Newspaper about the challenges of photography in Iran.
9-A note about the photo of “Niloufar Damir” and the photographer’s record of the painful event of the lifeless body of “Aylan Kurdi”, a 3-year-old Syrian child.

Photo Books

1-Artwork owner in the collection of the books including works of Iranian photographers from 2002 to 2005.
2-Artwork owner in the third photo contest of university students’ photos from all over the country.
3-Artwork owner in the picture book “Travelers to Illumination”, 2004.
4-Artwork owner in the photo book titled “Iran today”, June 2014.
5-The collector and artwork owner in the photo book “The End of the Earth”, 2014.

Awards & Credit Received

1-Certificate of appreciation from Training Deputy of General Education Dept. of Tehran, July 1997.
2-Certificate of Appreciation from the first exhibition of Selected Graphic Works from all over the Education Organization Districts of Tehran Province 1997.
3-Certificate of appreciation from cultural & art deputy of Municipal Dist. 13, and Akram Shahrokhi, manager of Salmand Cultural Center, for cooperation and refereeing in pho festival “Elderlies, New Power for Development”, Feb. 1999.
4-Certificate of appreciation from secretariat of “Elderly and Family” Photo Competition, for admission in the exhibition’s best view part, 1999.
5-Certificate of Appreciation from the Arts and Culture Festival “Souvenir from the Land of Light” for two consecutive years.
6-Winning first place in the 3rd Basij National Competition – December 2001.
7-Winning first prize in Ashoora Photographic Mourning in the national championship of the Islamic Advertising Organization, September 2001.
8-Certificate of Appreciation from the 2nd Basij Artists National Conference, February 2001.
9- Certificate of Appreciation from 4th National Mourning Ceremony of Ashura Photo (University of Art), for obtaining 4th rank in student part, May 2002.
10-Credit for the Selected Work of the Third Toba Electronic Festival – Autumn 2004.
11- Certificate of Memorial from 1st National Annual Competition and Exhibition of Red Frame Photo, Mashhad Municipality, 2005.
12- Certificate of Appreciation from 5th National Mourning Ceremony of Ashura Photo (University of Art), for obtaining 1st rank of mourning, March 2007.
13- Certificate of Appreciation from 1st Iranian-Islamic Tables Festival, Sep. 2010.
14- Obtaining special tablet from 4th International Exhibition of Bread Industry (Ibex 2010), Oct. 2010.
15-Thank You Certificate from the Headquarters of Prayers Attendance for the executive activities done in the administrative unit of the photo competition titled “Prayers and Praise”.
16- Certificate of Appreciation from Epic Glory National Photo Festival, Tabriz, May 2011.
17- Certificate of Appreciation from Ahmad Danyali, Manager of the 1st Photo Festival and deputy of Iranology Foundation, July 2011.
18- Certificate of appreciation from secretariat of 3rd Time Photo Festival, and Sina Delshadi, head of art dept. of Markazi province, Dec. 2011.
19- Certificate of appreciation from Kianoush Gharibpour, Secretary of Shahr-e-Aseman Visual Arts Festival, for media cooperation in photo part, Sep. 2012.
20- Certificate of appreciation from Hamidreza Majidi, secretary of 4th Time Photo Festival, and Sina Delshadi, head of art dept. of Markazi province, Dec. 2011.
21- Certificate of appreciation from Mohammadhossein Shafieiha, director general of Culture & Islamic Guidance Dept. of Ghazvin Province, for refereeing in 3rd Nineveh Provincial Photo Mourning Ceremony, March 2014.
22- Certificate of appreciation from head of Iranology Foundation, Seyed Mohammad Khamenehei, for effect on improvement of holding 4th Iranology Photo Festival, July 2014.
23- Certificate of appreciation, from governor office and municipality of Khansar for holding “Prophet’s Household” Photo Exhibition, in Aftab Gallery of Khansar, Nov. 2014, and certificate of appreciation from head of Enghelab Eslami Cultural Center, for holding “Photo and Tear” Group Photo Exhinition, Fall 2014.
24- Appreciation from Seyed Hossein Doaei, secretary of 1st Third Line Ashura Photo Mourning Ceremony, for announcing the occasion of Third Line Photo Competition call.
25- Certificate of appreciation from head of Environment Conservation Organization, Dr. Masoumeh Ebtekar, for holding “Let’s not to get a memory” Group Photo Exhibition, June 2014.
26- Certificate of appreciation from town council, municipality and Culture and Islamic Guidance Dept. of Aran & Bidgol County, for holding “End of the Earth” Photo Exhibition, Dec. 2014.
27- Appreciation for handwritten text of professor Parviz Kordovani, for attempt in providing photo of Iranian Desert Introduction project, Dec. 2014.
28- Certificate of appreciation from Dr. Ali Taheri, Minister Deputy and CEO of Ports & Shipping Organization, for support of 4th Iranian Marine Photos Festival, with the approach of introduction to marine society of country
29- Certificate of appreciation from 1st National Photo Festival of Mazandaran Environment View Photo, from Hormoz Mahmoudirad, festival secretary and director general of Mazandaran Environment Conservation Dept.
30- Certificate of appreciation from CEO of Pakman Co., holder of Installations Industry Photography Competition, focusing on technology for consulting and participation during photo festival holding, Dec. 2015.
31- Certificate of appreciation from CEO of Pakman Co., holder of Installations Industry Photography Competition, focusing on technology for consulting and participation during photo festival holding, Dec. 2015
32- Certificate of appreciation from general public relations dept. of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, for holding Iranian Nature and Environment Photo Exhibition titled “Iranian Sonata”, Feb. 2016.
33- Holding “Aein Ashura” Group Photo Exhibition, in Laleh Galley, Dec. 2015.
34- Certificate of appreciation for holding and curatorship of “Parallel Look” Women Group Photo Exhibition, in Shafagh Gallery, Sep. 2016.
35- Certificate of appreciation from head of Shafagh Cultural Center for holding “AhleHaram” Group Photo Exhibition, in Shafagh Cultural Center, Oct. 2016.
36- Certificate of appreciation from Kandid Photography Academy for effective attendance and performance of theoretical workshop of meeting with Master Fakhreddin Fakhreddini, Dec. 2017.
37- Certificate of appreciation for artistic efforts in photography context from Sina Delshadi, chairperson of art dept. of Mazandaran, Aug. 2018
38- Certificate of appreciation from 1st Qazvin Tourism Photo Festival, Sep. 2018.

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