After the depressing and somber news of my last post, a more inspiring bit of Iranian film related news.  Over at the guardian.co.uk there is a wonderful piece up by filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami (one of my favorite directors) in which he discusses a series of rain photographs he took.

Here’s an excerpt:

“I never really learned photography During the revolution of 1979, it was impossible to make films, and I escaped from the city and found shelter in the countryside. I started making pictures, and they became like gifts to take back to people in the city. I could share the landscape with them through photography. I prefer the countryside to cities. This is also true of my films: I have made more films in rural societies, and villages, than in towns.
The idea for this series of “rain” pictures is one I had a long time ago. I had spent years looking through my car windscreen, admiring the rural landscape, admiring the raindrops and the effect of light on them. I tried taking photographs through the windscreen, but at that time I was using film, and I could hardly ever get the right light effect to make the pictures work.”

He goes on to discuss light, inspiration and the strange nature of digital photography.

It is a simple and yet the piece reminds me of why, even in the worst of times, it is necessary to create art and to make pictures that everyone can enjoy.

Please take a second and read it HERE.

*photo from PURDY HICKS GALLERY