Maziyar Derakhshani is an artist pursuing an MFA in Photography at the University of Alabama. He holds a bachelor's degree in Theater Design from the University of Tehran. Maziyar's work explores the individuality of the human experience, delving into the essence of humanity beyond cultural and national boundaries to promote understanding and peaceful connections. Through direct engagement with his subjects, he captures a blend of formal portraits and candid moments in local bars, in Alabama.

His achievements include participation in the West Alabama Juried Show for two consecutive years (2023, 2024) and receiving the Levitetz Leadership Seed and Large Seed Grant Awards for creative photography projects for two consecutive years (2023, 2024). In 2024, he also received the Collaborative Arts Research Initiative Graduate Student Research Award.

Internationally, Maziyar's work has been featured in the Contemporary Iranian Woman Photo Exhibition in Austria (2017) and the Khayyam International Photo Festival in Tehran, Iran (2014). In 2015, his social documentary series was nominated for the Best Social Documentary Series at the 10th Camera Photo News Festival.