Zahra Mirmalek is an Iranian-American documentary photographer based in New York City. Born in San Jose, California, she and her family moved to Tehran, Iran, three years later. In 2012, Zahra graduated from a University in Iran with a degree in Psychology. While attending school, she worked as an ESL instructor for children and started her career in photography by capturing her students' portraits and documenting their daily routine with her film camera. Prior to returning to the United States in 2015, Zahra worked as a documentary photographer for Nikan Charity Foundation and had her images displayed in three group exhibitions. Since moving to New York, she's worked as a freelance photographer, specializing in weddings, public events, and portraits. In 2021, Zahra was a recipient of the Director's Fellowship from the International Center of Photography in New York and in 2022, she graduated from ICP with a certificate in Visual Journalism and Documentary Practice. Her work has been published by SHIFT magazine, shortlisted by Life-Framer, and exhibited at the ICP Museum in New York.