Those who have survived the most dangerous situations give us good lessons that we can use to learn how to be resilient in our daily lives. Whether it’s unemployment, hard work, or personal tragedies, these people are able to overcome the biggest of challenges, simply because they know how to take the right decisions at the right time.
Sam Yari, an immigrant who escaped from Iran in 2016, is a prime example. Yari was a fashion photographer, working with some of the biggest names in the country. However, when the government cracked down on fashion photographers and models, Yari knew that he wasn’t going to be able to pursue his passion.
He escaped and moved to Turkey, and now owns Sam Yari Studio in Istanbul. Despite the numerous obstacles and challenges that came his way, Yari was able to persevere and he continued to build, until eventually he achieved excellence in his profession.
Yari now hosts exhibitions in many parts of the world, including Kyiv, and his work is celebrated across the globe. He is a fashion photographer who works with some of the biggest names in the world. Sam has different photography campaigns such as those of Barbarossa Murati, Ceramez, Edward Morris, Babak Vosoughi which were published in EllE Magazine, Skylife Magazine, and Turkish Airlines. When he was in Iran, he photographed many celebrities such as Mohammad Reza Golzar, Bahareh Rahnama, Yas, TerlanParvaneh, and later in Turkey he photographed Hossein Tohi, Leito, Khelseh, and SerenSerengil.
Recently, Sam Yari held a photography exhibition in Kiev, Ukraine, in October 2021, under PRAVADA name, which was attended by prominent artists and enthusiasts. The subject of this exhibition was the restrictions, imprisonment and killing photographers and artists in extremist countries. He has been quite vocal about the restrictions placed on women in such areas.
But, how did he overcome the many obstacles in his path to achieve success? He has quite a bit to share about this.
The first thing to do in the event of difficulty is to become aware of the situation in which you are, as soon as possible. It may seem obvious, but we have all denied these difficulties at one time or another. What do people who survive these complex situations have in common? They don’t get stuck in a grieving phase and quickly move from denial to acceptance.
When you remain oblivious or live in denial, it gets worse – often quickly. When you know you are in trouble, you can take action. No one will tell you that paranoia is perfectly healthy, but research shows that sometimes being worried correlates with a longer life because you have a better ability to analyze your own struggles.
At this point some of you might be a little confused. The best way to take a punch from a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) fighter or survive a hurricane is the same: “Don’t be there when it hits.” It’s what Yari did when he realized Iran was going to punish people just for pursuing their passion. Yari knew that this was not a conduce place to work in, so he decided to leave.
Today, after all the achievements, he is looking to impart his knowledge to people and is constantly showcasing his work. Yarihas relentlessly pursued his passion for many years, and despite the numerous obstacles that came his way, he was able to succeed.
Today, thanks to his dogged personality and his desire to express himself freely, he has established himself as one of the best photographers in the world, and his work is regularly showcased on different platforms.