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The Iran Mall in Tehran is the largest shopping mall in the world. Ali Zolghadri recalls it being fairly empty the day he took this image, four months before the US and Israel launched their war on Iran. “This particular spot is in the central atrium. It’s a huge, futuristic space with sweeping curved lines, layered architecture, metallic surfaces and massive skylights,” Tehran-born Zolghadri says. “The clean geometry and the way light moves through the structure really caught my eye. It’s a public space, but because of its scale, it often feels quiet and almost otherworldly.” The shot, a composite of three images, was shortlisted in the creative category of the 2026 Sony World Photography awards.

“As a fine art photographer, editing is an essential part of my process,” Zolghadri says. “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.”

Zolghardi kept the passerby in the white shirt to add 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 is at Somerset House, London, until 4 May.