P A R G O T O T PH E E R T S & TRAVEL
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MEHMET IZDES FROM TURKEY WITH LOVE Mehmet has the gift of capturing emotion on the street. People going about their day, children playing and moments of life from Ankara Turkey.
Q: Can you tell us how you got into photography? When and what was your first camera, and also why… I got into photography in 1973. I was a 7th grade student at a boarding school. My four friends and I established a dark room in the school and started taking pictures and processing them in our darkroom. Taking pictures during the week and developing them over the weekend was just fun for us. My first camera was a Zenit E as it was a really good and affordable one. Everything to do with taking and developing the pictures was fine but we were having difficulties accessing the knowledge as there were no photography books in those days. Q: You have an amazing mix of street photography, portraits and landscapes. Are all your images from where you live? Although most of my portfolio is from Turkey, I also like travelling a lot. I have visited more than 30 countries and wish to travel more.
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Q: What’s the photography scene like in Turkey? The photography scene in Turkey is really interesting. Historical places, landscapes (such as Cappadocia, Istanbul, Lake Van, Mount Ararat, the North Anatolian Mountains, the Mediterranean Coastline), and people with different cultures are always of interest to photographers. Q: Are there any photography clubs in Turkey you’re involved with? Yes there are several photography clubs in Turkey. I am a proud member of AFSAD (the Association of Art Photographers of Ankara) which has been an active club for 41 years. Q: How often are you out shooting? I mostly go shooting twice a week, but my camera is always with me. Q: And what is you’re preferred genre to shoot - portraits? Street? I like taking portraits of people and also street portraits.
