Istanbul photography project

Last month I received a call from a Belgian journalist. She was writing an article about upcoming young photographers and asked me if she could include me in the article. I felt honored that I was chosen so we had a small interview over the phone. We talked about how I started photographing, my current projects and most of all about my photo projects inIstanbul.

Eskisehir, Turkey. Analog photo taken with Mamiya 7II.
Atatürk, Eskişehir, Turkey. Analog photo taken with Mamiya 7II.

 

 

You might have seen at my Instagram or Tumblr feed that I’ve been traveling frequently to Istanbul. Turkey is such an interesting country, with it’s rich culture and environment. The nature is great and the people are very welcoming. Especially if you can speak some Turkish words, a whole world opens for you. I love to talk with the locals over a çay (tea) at the teahouse,  exchanging thoughts and idea’s.

Istanbul: easts meets west.

I’ve been attracted to Istanbul since my first visit in 2012. East meets west, separated by the Bosphorus. For me it’s such an unique city. I see the Asian influences from my travels to South East Asia, mixed with my roots in Europe. A very nice, unique balance.

Ankara. Analog photo taken with Mamiya 7II. #analog #mediumformat

 

It felt almost natural to do an internship in Istanbul after graduating with my Photography degree in 2014. During my internship I had time to explore Istanbul at a slower pace. During my three month stay at the European side of Istanbul, I had time to not only explore the centre but also the periphery, the outskirts of Istanbul. It’s there where I found interesting locations and people to photograph. Away from the buzzing heart of Istanbul.

Ikidenizarasi backpack

Exploring the periphery of Istanbul

During the Istanbul Biennial I came across the Iki Deniz Arasi project by Serkan Taycan. It’s a 60km walking route near Istanbul going from The Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.  During these this 3 day hike I wild-camped and met a lot of great local people. Combining my love for exploration and photography blended in perfectly during this trip.  You can find the photo-essay over here.

between-two-seas-1642

For the upcoming years I am looking to do more photographic works in Turkey. I’ve got some interesting idea’s, it’s only a matter of time.

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *