Emir Bozkurt: Heightening drama in street photography through black and white
Born and based in Istanbul, Turkey, street photographer Emir Bozkurt finds his hometown a perfect city for photography. It’s a bold statement, but he has about a decade’s worth of impressive street photography to show for it. A quick peek at his Instagram feed and photo sharing pages show not only a mastery of composition but also the eye for documenting the drama of daily life in his city.
Every chance he gets to take a break from his work as civil servant in a public institution, he takes as an opportunity to observe and document the diversity of his people. “Their clothes, lifestyles, different appearances, and adaptation to street culture direct me to street photography,” he declared.
But, as with many creative minds, the vibrance of daily life in Istanbul isn’t his only source of inspiration. Apart from movies and television, he’s also a keen observer of the works of many photographers around the world. “I always try to use these techniques when taking photographs. Over time, I started to see the benefits of these in my work.”
Bozkurt also believes that in a sense, street photographers work like documentary photographers. There’s a distinct difference between the two genres; one weaves a story of life on a broader, more general scale, while the other has a more factual and sequential approach to its narrative. But they are also linked in many ways, especially in how they both capture life and man’s interaction with his environment. This, Bozkurt said, is why he’s always looking for drama, emotion, and humor out in the streets.
Copyright ⓒ Emir Bozkurt
Copyright ⓒ Emir Bozkurt
Copyright ⓒ Emir Bozkurt
Copyright ⓒ Emir Bozkurt
Ingredients of the “Decisive Moment”
Asked about his biggest inspirations as a street photographer, Bozkurt mentioned the usual names like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Elliot Erwitt. However, he also closely follows the work of his peers and contemporaries in and out of Turkey.
“Recently, there are street photographers whose work I have watched with admiration both in the world and in Turkey, and who have impressed me. I watch different techniques from each of them, I follow their work and they become my source of inspiration.”
With Cartier-Bresson among his street photography heroes, it’s not surprising for Bozkurt to have his own understanding of the role of the “decisive moment” in his work. With his observation skills, he takes time to carefully put together the “ingredients” that make the legendary street photography philosophy work.
“I first watch the scene or situation I will photograph on the street. People’s stances, attitudes and movements at that moment are important for the decisive moment. Everything develops and goes away in an instant, never to come back. That’s why I find the decisive moment very important in street photography.”
Copyright ⓒ Emir Bozkurt
Copyright ⓒ Emir Bozkurt
Copyright ⓒ Emir Bozkurt
A different kind of magic
Impressive street photography comes in both color and black and white. But there are photographers like Bozkurt who, while also doing great work with color, believe that black and white is simply a different kind of magic. He has the photos to show for it, the simplicity of monochrome heightening the emotion in the scenes he captured.
“I believe that the magic of black and white photography is different. I love color photos; I also take color photos. However, in black and white photography, the emotion is more dominant, and the viewer can focus directly on the emotion of the photo while looking.”
For Bozkurt, a black and white photo doesn’t need to be complicated in order to be effective and emotive. Once he decides to go for black and white for a given scene, he thinks about how to highlight the subject of his photo. “What I need to pay attention to here is that I need to take a simple, understandable photo,” he adds, emphasizing the importance of composition in images devoid of color.
However, that doesn’t mean that he finds street photography free of challenges; in fact, he finds getting close to his subjects to be his biggest challenge. “To take a good photo, I need to get as close to the subject as possible. Of course, another issue I need to pay attention to is how people would react to me taking their photo.”
Finally, all these elements — the “decisive moment,” the magic of black and white, and the right proximity to his subject — come together wonderfully in his favorite photo, titled “Selfie.”
Copyright ⓒ Emir Bozkurt
“At certain tourist spots in Istanbul, there are viewing binoculars to watch the city more closely. I decided to try one of these binoculars and wondered how I could reflect it in my photography. Here, I used juxtaposition, a technique often used in street photography. The scene caught my attention as a reflection of the development of mobile communication and future robotic technology due to today’s technological developments. Many people even compared it to the famous animated movie Wall-E.”
Check out Emir Bozkurt’s 500px and follow him on Instagram (@emir.bzkrt)to stay updated with his outstanding street photography.
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