What it means
عکاس (akkâs) means “photographer,” the person who takes photographs. The word comes from Arabic, built on the root ع‑ک‑س (meaning reflection or image), and entered Persian through the classical Arabic borrowing tradition. The related noun عکس (aks) means “photo” or “image,” so عکاس is literally “the one who deals in images.” A close synonym in everyday speech is عکسبردار (aksbardar), though عکاس is the more common and widely understood form.
How to use it
- برادرم عکاس حرفهایه. (barâdaram akkâse herfei-e.) “My brother is a professional photographer.”
- یه عکاس خوب میشناسی؟ (ye akkâse khub mishnâsi?) “Do you know a good photographer?”
- عکاس عروسی خیلی گرونه. (akkâse arusi kheyli gerune.) “Wedding photographers are very expensive.”
- اون عکاس مجلهست. (un akkâse majale-st.) “She is a magazine photographer.”
Cultural note
Photography has a long and respected history in Iran, dating back to the Qajar era when Naser al-Din Shah was himself an avid photographer. Today, Iranian عکاسان (akkâsân, photographers) are internationally recognized, particularly in the fields of documentary and street photography. Many Iranian photojournalists have won major international awards, and photography is a popular hobby as well as a serious profession in contemporary Iran.