Hi Ayhan , it ’ s nice to meet you . You ’ re living in Turkey , tell us about life in Turkey , what do you do for a job or are you studying ?
I live in Istanbul . I have a Business Administration degree , after finishing my masters degree in Australia , I completed my PhD on Organizational Behavior . I work as a trainer , professional coach and university instructor . My work is basically about listening , understanding and communicating with people .
How did you get started as a photographer ?
I was always interested in photography and cinema , but did not actively take pictures . The only exception is a short period in my late teens when I had a SLR camera and was interested in taking portrait shots , but that lasted only a few years . So , basically my creativity had a long winter period until 2 years ago , when both of my parents died in the same year . It made me realize that nothing is repeated in life , that moments have a special soul which can only be experienced as they happen . This event had a profound impact on my photography .
And how would you describe your photography ?
I try to see the stories that are hidden in fleeting moments . I try to spot and highlight the poetry in what feels to be mundane at first sight . I ’ m interested in contrasts , unusual behaviors , hidden links , near misses , accidental encounters because they add to my story telling .
My subjects are usually people who are on the move , who are experiencing a moment that will disappear in a few seconds .
I especially care about their emotions , whatever they are at that moment . But my favourite theme is the feeling of freedom , where you feel constantly moving and evolving , knowing no borders or attachments . ( or sometimes people who lack that kind of freedom ) I quite often use symbols like birds , sea , sky , floating hair , wind etc because they remind me of that sense of freedom .
I have to ask , tell us about the birds that often play a role in your photos ...
Istanbul has a huge bird population . They are literally everywhere , hovering above your head in every street . Birds were a forced choice at first , because they usually photobomb your pictures . But soon I picked up on the qualities that they add to anything they fly past . I love birds because they symbolize almost everything about my photography : freedom , wisdom , motion , emotions , grace . I can ’ t imagine living in a city without many birds .
What areas in Istanbul do you like to photograph in ? Why ..?
I love spending time in Karaköy , Eminönü , Galata , Beyoğlu . Because almost nobody actually lives in those neighborhoods , the people there come from all walks of life for a temporary purpose with the intention to go back home at night , so you see lots of contrast and drama ; since its near the sea , there ’ s excitement or sometimes total indifference in people ’ s faces , people ’ s faces talk ; the walls are talking too , with many layers of texture and graffiti ; it all adds to my themes .
A lot of your photos also feature the ocean , is this something that draws you ?
We call it Bosphorus , basically it ’ s a strait , like a giant salt water river going through the heart of the city . It is constantly flowing , moving the waters from one side of the earth to the other . There ’ s also an undercurrent which pushes the waters back in the opposite direction . The Bosphorus also attracts northerly and southerly winds . When I take a boat ride along the Bosphorus and breathe in the fresh breeze , I imagine the air that fills my lungs came all the way from Scandinavia , it touched he hair of a kid playing on the beach , or went through dark enchanted forests , it helped a seagull soar and now it ’ s in my lungs . It gives a sense of “ borderlessness ”, a sense of constant motion and collision . I believe it shapes the character of my people , and it also shaped the character of my photographs .
Browsing your Instagram feed , you have a gift for capturing moments . People relating to each other , living life , and your post processing style is very different . Talk us through how you go about taking photos and then what happens at the end of the day when you are finished shooting .
I ’ m interested in people . I can look at a crowded street and immediately spot a person that has potential for a story . Then I get my camera or phone ready and wait for them to do something interesting . And they usually do .
When shooting , I set aside all my worries about composition , framing , timing etc . These are all worries of the mind and they can all be fixed later . I only concentrate on seizing the spirit of that moment , which can only be done by seeing from the heart . I trust my gut feelings and give the controls to my fingers rather than my mind . My fingers autono-
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