A photo series captures everyday war damage in Tehran
A photo in Associated Press’s “One Extraordinary Photo” series shows black spots on clothespins, which AP photographer Vahid Salemi said reveal the environmental toll of conflict in Tehran.
In the AP write-up accompanying the image, Salemi said the work captures elements of everyday life in Tehran that have been directly affected by the war. He said he has previously documented the effects of war on civilian life, but this project also highlights what he described as its negative impact on the environment—particularly air pollution and contaminated rain, which he said caused the black spots visible on clips in the photo.
How the day of the image shaped the scene
Salemi said that on the day the image was taken, it felt as though the sun rose later than usual. He said heavy smoke from explosions and thick rain clouds prevented sunlight from reaching homes until much later in the morning.
He said he had photographed the explosion that caused the pollution the night before. He added that when he woke up, he was struck by how unusually dark it still was.
Camera settings and rooftop observation
Salemi described how he made the photograph, saying he shot it with a 16mm using a 16–35mm lens with a Sony Alpha 1. He said he set the camera to f/5.6 and used an exposure time of 1/1600.
He also described his reporting routine during conflict. Salemi said that during the 12-day war in June 2025 and the ongoing conflict, he regularly went to the rooftop to observe explosions and rising smoke. He said that on this occasion he was able to notice the black marks visible on the subjects in the photo.
About the photographer
The AP article identifies Salemi as based in Tehran and working for AP since 1999. The “One Extraordinary Photo” series presents a single image, along with explanation from the photographer about what it captured.