23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Whisper of the Blue Hour

As the day fades into twilight, a crescent moon rises above the ancient walls of the Jame' Mosque of Isfahan. The silence of the courtyard and the soft blue of the evening sky evoke a timeless serenity — a quiet dialogue between earth and sky, faith and stillness.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 02.2025
Date Uploaded: 10.2025
Photo Location: Isfahan, Iran
Camera: 2201117TG
Copyright: © Mahdi Akbar