23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Chess, Tea & A Smoke: Kurdish Life

Inside a cultural club in Soran, men gather for tea, chess, and long conversation. I sat in the warm glow of the room, watching strategy unfold amid drifting smoke and soft laughter—a small window into the rhythm and community of everyday Kurdish life.

Photo Detail
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Soran, Iraq
Camera: NIKON Z 8
Copyright: © Ryan Kost