Shades of Love in the Heart of the Quarry _ monomad daily chalenge

Qalejogh quarry, not far from where I live, has long been more than just a location. For me, it’s part of a visual memory a space where I’ve brought many couples to photograph their love stories among the silent, time-worn stones.
This time, it was Neda and Ramin’s turn.

The quarry holds a beautiful contrast: rugged, carved stone walls beside the soft fabric of a white wedding dress, and hands intertwined with care. That’s why I chose to process this session entirely in black and white to highlight the tension between texture and tenderness, and to remove any distractions from the emotional core.

In one of the frames, Neda leans gently against a rock wall, smiling, while Ramin stands behind her, delicately adjusting her pearl necklace. The intimacy of the moment, set against the harsh stone, created a striking balance. I paid close attention to how the lines of the cracked wall interacted with the lines of her gown and shoulders—after a few slight adjustments in their positioning and my angle, everything fell into place.

In the following shots, they walk hand in hand through the quarry, sometimes pausing, sometimes continuing in silence. At times, Neda turns back to glance over her shoulder. I intentionally left a lot of negative space in the compositions because the beauty of this place lies in its simplicity, both visually and emotionally.

Ramin wasn’t in a traditional suit. He wore a light-colored shirt and trousers, which worked beautifully with the raw, colorless surroundings. It allowed their connection and body language to be the focus, free from visual noise. I wanted to show their honesty, not just their elegance.

And just like the rocks that have stood still for centuries, these images are moments of stillness where the softness of their gaze lives on, quietly, in the heart of stone.

In the final two images, I chose stillness over movement a simple, unspoken moment where Neda and Ramin were simply present with one another. Their gentle embrace, surrounded by the rugged stone landscape, wasn’t just a romantic poseit was a visual refuge. In a setting defined by hardness and contrast, their closeness brought softness and meaning.

I carefully composed the body angles, the folds of the dress, and the surrounding negative space to draw the viewer’s focus inward toward the emotion, not the execution. Sometimes, a closed eye or a hand resting quietly on the back says more than any grand gesture ever could.

Before closing, I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the members of the Black & White Community for your continued support, thoughtful engagement, and appreciation for subtle storytelling.
A special thank-you goes to the community’s kind and dedicated leadership your efforts create a space where artistic voices are seen, heard, and celebrated.
Looking forward to sharing more photos with you all.

Warm regards,

photographer	camera	lens
@farideh.shahedi	sony a7 iii	24_70 f 2.8