“We can stare for hours at the ‘one moment’ captured by a photographer in only milliseconds”

Can you tell us briefly about yourself?

I was born in Istanbul, in 1956. I am a mechanical engineer (MSc). I am married. I have two children who live in France. My son is a doctor and my daughter is an art director. My wife is a sculptor. I can say that as a family we are doted on art.

When and how did you tend towards photography?

Everything started with a camera I received as a gift at my bar-mitzvah. That was the time I became interested in photography and began taking photos. In my high school years, I was the head of photography club. I started printing the photos I took, in the darkroom.

I continued taking photos when I grew up. I took pictures at my trips; I took pictures of my family on holidays. In 2014, when I decided to focus more on photography, I enrolled at a basic photography training course at Focus to improve myself. I became a member at IFSAK. I attended various seminars and tried to make up for my shortcomings.

What kind of photos do you enjoy taking? What does your camera capture at your trips? Can we call you a street photographer?

Yes, besides being a portrait photographer, you can call me a street photographer. At my trips besides long exposure photos and architectural photos, I take ‘moment’ photos to try touching the hearts of people looking at my photos. In the last couple of years, I joined Timurtas Onan’s ‘Hanlar (Large Commercial Building from Ottoman Period) Project. The Hanlar Project aims to document fading trades and their craftsmen at Istanbul’s Eminonu district.  I am also in Niko Guido’s “BenIstanbul (IamIstanbul) Project which aims to document Istanbul with photos to pass it on to the world and the next generations.

What are the factors you take into consideration when taking photos?

We can stare for hours at that ‘one moment’ captured by a photographer in only milliseconds. To take a good photo the most important thing is ‘that moment’. Sometimes one frame tells a whole story because it resonates with different phases of life. You can fill multiple hardcover books with what is reflected from one frame of photo.

Are you inspired by any photographers?

Of course; Sebastio Salgado and Henri Cartier-Bresson are the two artists I’m inspired by. Achieving their level of expertise seems utopic and I’m aware that to take photos like them one must work constantly and be patient. 

We know you have received many awards until today. Can you talk about these awards and exhibitions you displayed your photos?

I was recognized by FIAP (Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique) and was granted the AFIAP (Photography Artist) title. I was given a certificate.

In 2017, one of my photos was accepted by National Geographic and published in one of its issues. I received numerous ‘Acceptance’ from photography contests sponsored by FIAP in fifteen different countries.  My photos were displayed in over 50 exhibitions abroad. 

I won two gold medals at FIAP sponsored ‘Circuit Child 2017’ contest in Russia and Serbia. And lastly, at the ‘The 7th Greek Photographic Circuit 2019’ photography contest sponsored by GPU-HPS-FIAP-GAP Patronage, I won PSA gold medal. 

I attended 20th Nancy Biennial with ‘IamIstanbul Contrast Project’. My photo which depicts Istanbul’s rapid change and the paradoxes that arise from this change was displayed. In March 2019, two of my photos were displayed at ‘Magnificent Spice Bazaar’ photography exhibition, a multicultural event organized by Yunus Emre Institute in collaboration with Turkish Embassy in London, Turkish Airlines and Ara Guler Institute and curated by Terry Katalan.

This year, I also signed up to attend 'IamIstanbul Photography Project's international exhibitions in Freudenberg and Siegen in which Istanbul will express itself with photos.

Do you have any new projects planned?

Photography means life to me. With what it makes people feel and reminisce, it also means an endless journey, love… As an Istanbul lover, it means happiness…

My goal is to document Istanbul through photos and to pass it on to the whole world and the next generations. Love appeals to the heart, but the most beautiful love appeals to both the eyes and the heart.

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