As an Iranian-born photographer, sharing the same language and culture with the Afghans made it easier for me to become more intimate with women than any other foreigner. All the women in Intimité Afghanes either had lived through or were born during the Taliban’s theocratic rule, with no rights for education, health or work.

When producing my feature, I was inspired by traditional techniques used by local photographers to incorporate color into black and white film, the only film available in Afghanistan.

After the fall of the Taliban, I could see the little freedom and hope coming back to their lives just as vivid drops of color in a black and white destiny.