One winter day as my parents and I were trapped in our house in the suburbs of Istanbul due to a snowstorm, I decided to dress them up and do a family photoshoot. Growing up, my father always had these vintage clothing and accessories that resembled pieces from the late cold war that always gave me an eerie yet humbling feeling. I asked them to pick pieces that they thought would best represent their old and new styles with a pinch of vintage and the Soviet Union.

A good friend of mine and I were hanging out in my apartment one day, watching a movie, while my little colorful night light was on. For a brief second I caught the reflection of the lights on her skin and decided to place her facing the light to take these photos.  

“No better way is there to learn to love Nature than to understand Art. It dignifies every flower of the field. And, the boy who sees the thing of beauty which a bird on the wing becomes when transferred to wood or canvas will probably not throw the customary stone.'“

-Oscar Wilde

Istanbul, Turkey/ San Francisco, CA/ Tekirdag, Turkey

This specific photo shoot required placing some of the furniture that was available in my old office, on top of a large wooden picnic table that laid around in the office patio. Through rising him, I achieved an equal height with the city rise to benefit from the lighting. We used many different accessories and smoke to achieve the dramatic effect I was going for.  

Monochromic and powerful images created by the use of one Christmas string light and two beautiful and strong independent young woman.

This spontaneously developed photo shoot in the backyard of my New York City dorm was one of my first experiences tackling professional photography. While I was giving my volunteer first time friend models some direction of how to pose and what expression to have; they still had the ability to reflect on how they felt and act accordingly. In the end, we ended up having a very productive and bonding photo shoot that hopefully can speak to some of your souls as much as they did to ours.  

A simple day at the beach with a polarized lens filter.

A restaurant located in Istanbul, Turkey was drying their recently fresh caught fish to serve in certain dishes and to use as decor. As the family restaurant has delicious food and a welcoming ambiance, the backside of the building near the smoking area was filled with these fish placed subtly that haunted me.

“When I was a kid, monsters made me feel that I could fit somewhere, even if it was... an imaginary place where the grotesque and the abnormal were celebrated and accepted.”

- Guillermo Del Toro

The Morbid Anatomy Museum at Brooklyn, NY/E 12th St, New York, NY/Istanbul, Turkey/ Amsterdam, Netherlands

Experimental Bokeh shots in downtown San Francisco, CA.

The photos in this album are all randomly taken photos of individuals during different occasions over the course of a year. I find it very intriguing and yet challenging as a photographer to be able to clearly capture a moment of any impulsively felt emotion reflecting to one’s expression and body pose. These two elements together compose a very powerful unconscious statement that can be perceived universally by others and yet can be interpreted uniquely given the chance.  Each expression caught on camera here has a story behind them as though not all of them might be as deep they are all real.

1. Getting her makeup and hair done for her nieces wedding ceremony, she freaked out when the makeup artist wanted to use a blue eye shadow. She indicated that she had never worn blue eye shadow and doesn’t want to risk it before such a significant occasion for her.  Samsun, Turkey

2. While going to get coffee from his regular local coffee shop mid photoshoot for his Tinder account, he overheard a dog barking which he indicated later that he thought sounded very familiar. San Francisco, CA

3. As she was annoyed with the wind and the sun after a very heavy yet delicious brunch, we started laughing of how we were complaining about ridiculous stuff. I took this photo when she was trying to calm down and stop laughing and she had a brief second of success, which is captured in this photo.  Saratoga, CA

4. It was a very cold day and we were stuck waiting outside for the shuttle to the airport to arrive. Upon checking the time, I told him that we might miss the flight. This is right after I told him that, he got more and more angry at the situation following the seconds after this photo was taken. Istanbul, Turkey

5. As we were discussing how some tourists are out of control and wonders around purposeless, a man passing by loudly spit on the sidewalk. This is the moment where she saw that. The shot didn’t give her expression enough time to breath, as it reflects her slowly shifting her emotion in confusion. San Francisco, CA

6. After visiting a museum in Brooklyn, I made her pose for me for a mini photo shoot. I was directing her as other people started walking by the staircase we were at so she wasn’t able to hear what I was saying. The photo captures the moment where she was trying to make a meaning out of what I just said. Brooklyn, NY

A day as a tourist in San Francisco with the girl who’s middle name is Celeste.

The wedding day of a best friend which was full of love, chaos and purity.

Samsun, Turkey

A few of the most talented and powerful individuals I’ve met over the course of 2 years. These shots are all captured at different times and locations.

A collective visual journey of me walking around the streets of San Francisco and South Bay over the course of a year.

My pets and the pets of friends filling me with an undeserved love, that is the most valuable of all.

Street Performs of Pier 39, San Francisco.

“An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.”

- Oscar Wilde

Los Angeles, CA/ Monterey, CA/ Brooklyn, NY/ New York, NY/ Sausalito, CA/ San Francisco, CA

Familiar and unfamiliar faces of New York City and San Francisco.

New York, NY

Istanbul as it’s mascara runs down his eyes.

Photos taken while visiting the most popular attractions of San Francisco, CA.

“It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.”

- Mark Twain

Istanbul, Turkey

A well spent day with friends at the famous house on the block of Lati. We shall cherish the memories of this sacred place.

Hotel room blues and barley. Shots from a mini trip to Amsterdam.

The last photo is of the moon…

Amsterdam, Netherlands.