EMIR OZSAHIN

FT : Hi Emir could you tell us a bit about your background and how you got into photography?

EO : When I was studying for the college entrance exams I didn’t know what I wanted to major in. I asked my mother to buy me a camera and after that I just started taking photographs and found out that I loved it. So I decided to major in photography. I entered the talent-based exams and got in the Photography and Video program. It was a sudden decision but as I went along and started seeing the results of my work getting better, I decided that I had made the right decision.

FT : What do you enjoy shooting and why?

EO : I like to shoot things that show all their emotion; that don’t hide it but are subtle and not arrogant.  The reason, I suppose, is because I feel closer to those photographs.

FT : What are you trying to achieve as a photographer, message, themes, moods?

EO : I’m not really trying to achieve a certain thing. I just think I need to improve myself. I try and concentrate on emotions and their portrayal. Maybe one day I will have books, I will get to see my photographs printed in a book. That would probably give me the happiest sense of achievement.

FT : I notice some of your work is rather cinematic, like film stills, (correct me if I’m wrong) what and who are you inspired by?

EO : I guess you’re right. There are a few photographers that I really like, one of them being Trent Parke. He has such a unique style that is so sad and yet precise. I can empathize with him easily. But he’s way too unique for me to take him as an example, I can only admire him. Knowing that I try to create pieces that are unique to me. Surely, though, I must be being influenced by some artists or people without being aware of it, it’s inevitable.

FT : Could you explain the feeling of getting some film back from the lab and looking through the results?

EO : It’s actually my favorite part. You can more or less imagine the outcomes but the best thing about analogue is that it gives you tiny little surprises, sometimes small “mistakes” on the film.  That’s a whole different kind of excitement for me and I look forward to it.

FT : There is a lovely ambient grain through a lot of your work is that why you prefer to use film over digital?

EO : “It’s the feeling”. The grain adds a special kind of effect on the pieces.  It makes the shots look very lively.  I like that. And once you start using film you just can’t go back to digital. That’s how big the difference is, to me.

FT: What are some things you have learnt thus far, throughout your life?

EO : I’ve learnt that you shouldn’t stay too silent, people begin to take advantage of you, to see it as their right. And I’ve learnt that I’m always more peaceful when I work alone and it affects my work. I find my solo projects much more successful.

MORE OF EMIR’S WORK HERE ON FLICKR