Portraits in Türkiye
Türkiye . 2022
Sometimes one portrait becomes permission for everything that follows.
This second post from my 2022 journey through Türkiye began at Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, when I approached a weathered-looking gentleman going about his daily routine of keeping the palace grounds clean. With little shared language, I lifted my camera, framed the air with my fingers and asked, in the most tourist-like way I could, if I could take his picture. He nodded. That one portrait became the blueprint for the rest of the journey.
What began as a personal portrait project slowly became something more meaningful. Across Türkiye, I encountered strangers from different walks of life who responded with warmth, patience and unexpected generosity. Some exchanges lasted only a few seconds, but for a portrait photographer working in a foreign land, those moments felt deeply humbling.
Looking back, these photographs remind me that portraiture often begins long before the shutter is pressed. It begins with trust, however brief, and the willingness of one person to be seen by another.
