23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Artistic
Don't Forget Yourself

When a young woman becomes overwhelmed by the daily routine and depression ‎following a breakup, she often neglects her skincare routine and avoids looking at ‎herself in the mirror for a period of time. This observation struck me one day while I ‎was shopping; I overheard a girl telling a salesperson that she was going through a ‎difficult period and, consequently, had abandoned her skincare routine. She then ‎recounted looking in the mirror one day and realizing that she had completely ‎forgotten herself. Drawing inspiration from this stranger’s story, this photograph ‎portrays a girl who, in a moment of clarity, decides not to forget herself. She chooses ‎to attend to her own well-being, even as she navigates her challenging daily life.‎

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 04.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Tehran, Iran
Camera: NIKON D5300
Copyright: © Zahra Mobarakifard