Tariq Zaidi, a London-based photographer, transitioned his career in 2014 to pursue his passion for capturing the dignity, strength, and soul of people in their environments. His photography focuses on critical social issues, systemic inequalities, cultural traditions, and marginalized communities worldwide.

In 2020, Zaidi gained recognition for his debut book, Sapeurs. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo, which received acclaim as a finalist for the Lucie Photo Book Award, Photography Book of the Year by Pictures of the Year International (POYi), and African Photobook of the Year. Vogue also named it one of the Best Fashion Books of the Year, and it was showcased at the Visa pour l'image International Festival of Photojournalism. His second book, Sin Salida, released in 2021, delved into human rights issues in El Salvador, earning him top honours at the 2020 Media Awards by Amnesty International and the International Photography Awards (IPA) in 2022. The book was also a finalist for the Lucie Photo Book Prize and POYi's 'Photography Book of the Year' in 2023.

Zaidi's photography has been featured in over 1,000 publications across 90 countries, including The Guardian, BBC, National Geographic, CNN, Washington Post, Newsweek, Der Spiegel, GQ, Marie Claire, and Vogue. With over 70 international awards, including honours from Sony World Photography Awards and the National Press Photographers Association's (NPPA) Best of Photojournalism Awards his work has been exhibited in more than 90 international exhibitions, spanning projects in 25 countries across four continents. Tariq Zaidi is a self-taught photographer with an M.Sc. degree from University College London.

Seit Januar 2020 hat Nordkorea seine Grenzen für Ausländer geschlossen. Doch schon zuvor war es aufgrund des Verbots unautorisierter Aufnahmen und strenger Kontrollen durch das Regime äußerst schwierig, seine geheimnisvollen Landschaften zu fotografieren. Tariq Zaidi verfügt über ein umfangreiches Archiv von Bildern, die er über zwei Jahre hinweg aufgenommen hat. Sein Buch zeigt eine Auswahl mehr als 100 bemerkenswerter Fotografien, die Einblick in die nordkoreanische Gesellschaft gewähren. Zaidi fängt gekonnt die Resilienz, den Geist und die kulturellen Nuancen des Volkes in seinem Alltag ein. Jedes Foto ist ein Fenster in eine verborgene Realität, enthüllt das komplizierte Wechselspiel zwischen Tradition und Moderne und beleuchtet die komplexe Dynamik einer Nation, die ihren Weg unter den Augen der Weltöffentlichkeit sucht.
Nach dem preisgekrönten "Sapeurs. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo" ist dies Zaidis zweites Buch im Kehrer Verlag.