A photographer has been taking photos of trees for 16 years to remind us just how important they are — here are some of his most stunning images
Zoë Ettinger
- Ali Shokri is an Iranian photographer who has taken professional photos of trees for the past 16 years.
- His book, "The Passion of Trees," aims to show how trees are a vital part of our world.
- Most of his photos were taken in northern Iran, and include beech, alder, acorn, willow, almond, and apricot trees.
- "I hope 'The Passion of Trees' can be a message to people, to remind them to look with emotion toward these beautiful creatures and to take care of them," he told Insider.
Photographer Ali Shokri lives in Tabriz, a city in northwestern Iran, which he describes as "one of the most beautiful cities in Iran, with a temperate climate and beautiful nature."
It means he's in close proximity to many different types of trees — a subject he's been passionate about since he was young. "My father was in love with trees, and since I was a child I saw nature differently, much different from my friends," he told Insider.
Though he spent years photographing trees with a single-lens reflex (SLR) camera, in 2003 he bought a digital camera and began photographing professionally.
His project, "The Passion of Trees," aims to show others the vital significance of the Earth's lungs. The photos are all taken in black and white, and include beech, alder, acorn, willow, almond, and apricot trees.
Take a look at some of his most powerful photos.
Read the original article on InsiderShokri wants to illustrate our inexorable connection to nature through. "If we hurt nature, we hurt ... ourselves," he said.
Shokri has a deep love for nature and has been an environmentalist for many years. He believes that for life to grow, "we need to act with nature, and especially trees."
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"I am trying to say through my photographs that nature is holy. Nature is our mother," he said.
"If a mother is hurt, her newborn child will be hurt too," he said.
Shokri hopes his work will make people stop and think about trees.
"I spoke to artists, writers, cinematographers and even doctors about 'The Passion of Trees.' They too believe that we are destroying trees, and do not understand what will happen in the future. It was encouraging to hear that most of them wanted to look at trees differently [after we spoke]," he said.
He wants people who see his work to recognize the "fragility and vulnerability" of trees.
Shokri went to the Iranian highlands to take his photos because, up there, the wind "changed [the trees'] shape," further illustrating their vulnerability.
All the photos are taken in black and white because, "when there is no color, shapes can tell the message better," he said.
The combination of black and white creates a strong contrast, allowing the trees to take center stage.
For his photographs, Shokri chose trees that he believed looked "like humans," with character in their trunks and branches, like this almond tree.
"My favorite trees had special forms: They looked like humans. I saw them like humans," he said.
He hopes he can remind people to take care of "these beautiful creatures."
"Unfortunately humans disregard these beautiful and kind creatures just to create different objects for their homes," he said.
"I saw the pain in trees, so I wanted to give this message to people: If trees did not exist, our lives would be in disorder," he said.
"Trees are the lungs of the Earth. They always supported us with their fruits, with their shadows, and with the oxygen they give to us," he said.
He started his book, "The Passion of Trees," to show that "each tree has a story by itself, just like humans."
"Trees fall in love, they can be alone, they have gatherings, they have their own tales. When a tree dies, an entire life finishes," he said.
In 2003, Shokri bought his first digital camera and became a professional photographer.
He had previously been taking photos with an SLR camera, which used film.
Shokri's love of nature was instilled in him from a young age. "Trees were holy for us. They were life to us, since my childhood," he said.
"My father loved trees and each time when we moved in a new house, first he planted trees. He pruned those trees and our responsibility was to irrigate them, and not to break their branches," he said.
Ali Shokri lives in Tabriz, Iran. He describes it as a beautiful city with nearby mountains, forests, waterfalls, and fields.
His said by living in Tabriz, his proximity to such rich natural beauty has allowed him to further connect with his subjects.
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