Sahel Samavati

Title:  They cover you as if you were a fault

Statement:  In this reportage, I document the situation experienced by all women in Iran, at the moment when they have to take the photograph to be inserted in the passport. I experienced this moment firsthand, when I was asked to remove the makeup from my face, wear a dress deemed appropriate, and adequately cover my hair with a black veil, tightly closed around the face. Not adhering to these rules is equivalent to not obtaining the document to leave the country. Social norms and laws obligate women to adhere to these specific standards of decency: the dynamic that arises in photo- graphy studios is just one of the many controversial situations in which the freedom of (Iranian) women is limited.