Iraq Photo Archive

top of page

ARCHIVE
SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS
PROJECTS
- Between Lines
ABOUT
CONTACT
More

Use tab to navigate through the menu items.

This photo of my parents and my brother, my mother was pregnant with me in that photo, they went to a holiday in one of the holidays villages in North Iraq in the mountains of Shaqlawa. My father was killed in a car blast in Baghdad in 2015. So seeing how happy he was means a lot to me.

Shaqlawa, 1977

This photo for my father and his best childhood Friends and their children on their lap having a great time at the swings of a holiday village of Habbaniyah. It has great meaning for me to know that some of these days they lived well with enjoyable times. I was only two months old at that time.

Habbaniyah, 1977

I was less than a year in this photo, my mother carrying me and my brother on her side, its give me a nostalgia for all the good times I had back when I was child, and how was the country well formed with good artistic features in that time.

Al-Zawraa Park, Baghdad, 1978

This photo taken in 1979 of my brother taken by my late Grandfather in centre Baghdad (Firdos Square currently), in that time there was the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, love how it represent the good old times of great architecture.

Baghdad, 1979

Dad, Hussein *****, with his friends at Al-Sindbad Park, Basra.

Basra, early 1970s

Dad, Hussein ****, with his friends at Al-Sindbad Park, Basra.

Basra, early 1970s

Dad, Hussein ***** and mom, Iman ****, with my sister, at the Amusement Park of Basra.

Basra, 1978

Dad, Hussein *****, with uncles and neighbors playing football at their home garden in Al-Maaqal neighborhood, in the late 1960s at Basra. Al-Maaqal at that time was considered one of the best neighborhoods in Basra to live at, with its beautiful houses and big gardens.

Basra, late 1960s

Dad, Hussein *****, with his volleyball friends, AlMaaqal High school for boys.

Basra, late 1960s.

Dad, Hussein *****, playing volleyball with his school friends, AlMaaqal High school for boys.

Basra, late 1960s.

This is my grandfather, Mahdi ******, spending a sunny afternoon with his friends on Shat Alarab corniche.

Basra, 20th August 1937

This is Mom's and Dad's first date after getting engaged. Ice Cream date in 1970s Basra.

Basra, 3rd April 1977

My father, Uraibi *******, in front of a car in the city of Kut.

Kut, 1980

My grandparents in Baghdad, Iraq right after they got engaged in 1973.

Later on my grandfather died due to leukemia, they had 7 kids together. My youngest aunt was only 9 months old when my grandfather passed away.

Right after he died, my grandmother started to only wear black and never puts make up anymore until today cuz she says the world lost its colour when he died. They really loved each other.

Baghdad, 1973

These photo are important to me because they’re a zeitgeist of scenery in a Baghdad that no longer exists. The famous two story Baghdadi style houses are disappearing one by one and are being replaced by either planned out, unoriginal, community style (often high rise) projects, such as Iraqi gate, or by tiny McMansion style shoe boxes, often made in attempts of adapting to Baghdad’s failed electrical system. Beyond that the photos also look very lush and vegetive, which is something that is also disappearing in an Iraq that can’t seem to adapt to climate change, as despite being seen as the least of the worries plaguing our country, it will be the one that’s most impactful in our near future. Lastly, the photos just look peaceful and happy, in contrast to the “usual” photos of the last 20+ years.

Grandma's house, Baghdad, 1970s

These photo are important to me because they’re a zeitgeist of scenery in a Baghdad that no longer exists. The famous two story Baghdadi style houses are disappearing one by one and are being replaced by either planned out, unoriginal, community style (often high rise) projects, such as Iraqi gate, or by tiny McMansion style shoe boxes, often made in attempts of adapting to Baghdad’s failed electrical system. Beyond that the photos also look very lush and vegetive, which is something that is also disappearing in an Iraq that can’t seem to adapt to climate change, as despite being seen as the least of the worries plaguing our country, it will be the one that’s most impactful in our near future. Lastly, the photos just look peaceful and happy, in contrast to the “usual” photos of the last 20+ years.

My aunt, Baghdad, 1974

Baghdad, 1960s

These are photos of my father's history he never liked to talk about.

Baghdad, 1970s

Baghdad, 1960s

Institute of Fine Arts

Baghdad, 1970s

These pictures are of my father and some of the heroes who are standing against enemy lines in northern Iraq, where they represent the best Iraqi heroes in confronting the enemies.

Sulaymaniyah, 1980

الاول من الواقفين من اليمين
وزير الشباب والرياضة السابق جاسم محمد
جعفر عندما كان طالبا في جامعة السليمانية

This picture was taken in Sulaimaniya University in the late 70's. First one who is on the right is the previous Iraqi Minister of youth and sport. His name is Jasim Muhammed Ja’fer

Sulaimaniya Univeristy, 1970s

These are photos my parents took while they were in architecture school at the University of Baghdad. The minaret of Ana has since been destroyed.

Ana, 1980-1982

These are photos my parents took while they were in architecture school at the University of Baghdad.

Samarra, 1980-1982

These are photos my parents took while they were in architecture school at the University of Baghdad.

Al Ukhaidir fortress, near Karbala, 1980-1982

© 2023 Iraq Photo Archive

bottom of page