When I look back to the first years of my working life, it seems like another Age. I was only 21 when I started working as a photo journalist, on one of the biggest daily newspapers in İstanbul, Turkey. I didn't even know what I was really doing. I've been to live concerts, press meetings, interviews, social events, protests... I saw many different kind of lives and many different kind of events; from rich to poor, presidents to prostitutes, stars to humble artisans, from festivals to riots... All created a big impact on my perception of life at that young age.
Unfortunately I wasn't that wise to keep the photos from that time for my portfolio. I kept a few, but they are digitalised so badly, the quality has been lost, so unfortunately the images are horrendous. Those were the days of non-digital photography. We were using black & white negative films or dia positives. There was dark room for the black & whites, but for the dia positives, if you made a mistake on the light etc. it's done! That image then becomes useless! Photoshop and Lightroom wasn't in our lives as it is today! You should be very very cautious when taking a photo, as you can't have a look at the image display on the camera and repeat if needed. Unbelievable, isn't it?
I am now 41! When I look back to those photos from those days, it hurts, as I did'nt keep them all. I witnessed those lives with my camera. Some of them have passed away, as with time, some are as clear in my mind today as they were then! All is left behind for me is a few faded images, loaded with rawness and experience at the same time.
... But still, they make me proud.
As I had my new start up a few months ago, here in the UK, I was too focused on today. I was sharing only the new photos I took here. What I am today, as a photographer, it is the experience from the past that I hope to take my talent up to a new level.
Alanis Morissette. I think everybody knows who she is. I took this photo at her concert in İstanbul, after having an interview with her.
Isabella Rossellini, Italian - American actress. She was a guest of İstanbul Film Festival, when I took this photo of her.
Compay Segundo, Cuban musician. You probably remember him from "Chan Chan", most famous composition of the opening track on the Buena Vista Social Club album. Sadly, he passed away in 2003.
Atif Yilmaz, Turkish film director. He was one of the legend of Turkish cinema. He passed away in 2006.
One of the biggest stars of Turkish theatre, Yıldız Kenter. I had the privillage to meet and photograph her in her home years ago in İstanbul. Yıldız Kenter's husband, Şükran Güngör was also a succesful actor, who passed away in 2002, just a few years before I took this photo. On the framed photo behind is Şükran Güngör. Yıldız Kenter was talking about him just before she drifted into her memories. That's why there is a lot of emotions on her face, on that very moment I captured this photo.
İlhan Ersahin, Turkish musician. The founder of New-York based band Wax Poetic.
Turkish harpist Sirin Pancaroglu. I photographed her at 2001 while she was practicing for her performance during Istanbul International Music Festival.
Turkish actor and poet Menderes Samancilar. Samancılar has received many awards including the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in varios festivals such as Golden Orange Film Festival, Golden Ball Film Festival, Turkish Film Critics Association Awards, Orhan Murat Arıburnu Awards, Contemporary Film Actors Association Awards. It was year 2002 when I photographed this photo of him.