Judges
COTM | BTG SHORTLIST 2025
EMERGING PHOTOGRAPHER AWARD
Ahmad Fallaha
When the crown was taken off
My name is Ahmad fallaha, a photographer from Syria. I currently live in Damascus. I started working as a photographer 8 years ago.
It covered many events in Syria, including the conflict, the fall of the Syrian regime, the bombing in Syria, the earthquake in Syria and Turkey, and the fires.
I have worked with several photographic agencies, including Redux Picture and imago imagegs, and most recently with the EPA, and has published my photos in several international newspapers.
One of my most important portrayals was to document the moments of the fall of the Assad regime in Syria.
She worked on several documentary projects, including "Our Shadows" in vii.
When the crown was taken off
"When the crown was taken off" It is a long-form visual documentary project that captures the profound transformation in Syria from the outbreak of the uprising against the regime to the moment of liberation, revealing hidden facets of the war.
Through a lens close to the action, the project traces the key stages of the conflict: the early moments of confrontation, the steadfastness of cities, scenes of victory and celebration, followed by entry into prison cells and testimonies from those who emerged from them. The project goes beyond documenting political and military events—it delves deep into the human experience, recording hundreds of stories that unveil what lay behind the walls, and reintroducing Syria from the perspective of survivors, not the logic of frontlines.
The project blends powerful photography with a realistic, testimonial narrative, creating a visual and human testimony to a pivotal moment in the region's history.
