Hey Wicked Hunters,
I’m excited to have multi-international award-winning photographer F. Dilek Uyar.
Dilek was born in Çanakkale. After completing her primary and secondary education in this city, she entered Gazi University, Faculty of Law in Ankara Turkey. When she graduated, she started her master’s degree in Labor and Social Security Law at the same university. She is still a lawyer in a company in Ankara. She also teaches photography classes at a university in Ankara.
For 5 years, she has spent most of her time on photography. She likes taking travel, street, and documentary photos. She likes telling stories of people she meets during her travels and cities with her photos. For 4 years, she has been working on social responsibility projects and trying to photograph socially important issues.
As a woman photographer, lawyer, and mother from Turkey, she made many speeches in Universities, Photograph Associations and as a TEDx Speaker, she touched on the significance of being a woman and saying yes to change. She also takes part in social awareness projects.
Her biggest aim is to increase social awareness and recognition of her stories and continue inspiring young women in her country.
She joined many international and national exhibitions and won over 200 awards. She is still a contributor photographer for National Geographic YS and National Geographic Turkey.
You can learn more about Dilek’s work on:
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- For those of you who want to see connect with Stanley Aryanto, you can go to the following:
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0:00
I risked my life I risked my children’s life I go to the hospital and take photos, or one month after 100 year, when we all died, people will remember these times from our photos. This is the power of photography, which photography your writing history, can you imagine you will be the part of history with your photos. This is something being immortal in my opinion.
0:36
Hey, weekend is Welcome back to The Art of Photography podcast, where we share photographers journey and show how photography has given us hope, purpose and happiness. And today we have someone who’s very special. I’ve come across her work, a documentary artist who is passionate about sharing the world story and going to her photos, it’s taken my breath away. I have heard a few times, you know of her sharing some of her story, as well as speaking some of the issue in this world. And I just want to be able to share her voice to more of you out there. So today, let’s welcome Dilek Hey, Dilek how are you? I believe you are from Turkey at the moment, right?
1:25
Yes. Thank you so much. I’m from Turkey, and living in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. And thank you for your kind in like,
1:37
oh, yeah, 100% You know, I really enjoy listening to your story, I really enjoy the photos that you have taken, right, they are so full of emotion. And I believe you have some approach project as well, which you know, we’re going to talk about a little bit later to, to evoke emotion and to share and help share a message to your photography. And I think that is fantastic. Now, before we go through all of that, could you just share with us who is Dilek? And how did you start photography in the first place?
2:12
I’m Dilek, mother of two. And actually, my profession is law. I’m a lawyer in Turkey. And I always believe that people should have some hobbies in their daily life to take a breath during the hectic routine of daily life. And I was a skydiver before starting to take photos. And I was always saying that Skydiving is my passion. And it’s my love. I can’t forget it, I can live it and I can find another love. But with some health issues, I should have the site give a decision and stop making skydiving and I try to find something to focus and to make me feel good. And just take a camera at that time because it was so popular in Turkey 12 years ago, people were getting cameras and starting to take photos up to that time I never into photography, actually. Even when we go to somewhere I don’t like I never like taking selfies or taking photos of the places I visit. But I decided to get a camera and when you let me know unless you thought that you know everything. And in the beginning of my photographic journey, it was same. I was thinking that just taking a buying a brand new camera is enough to take some good photos. But I get a good camera at that time. Then I realised that it’s not enough. But I still don’t realise at that times the importance of the people behind the camera. I was just thinking the camera is okay. I just don’t know how to use it. So I went to a course to learn how to use the camera. And then I started to understand that the people behind the camera is one of the most important thing, not the camera. And photography is not just clicking something when you’re just walking or travelling around, it’s something special. It has some power. And I’ve fallen in love photography and I started to force myself to learn it in the best Today, and my journey starts in like that to add few years ago, Oh, it wasn’t easy as a woman photographer from Turkey as a mother from Turkey, because our priorities are determined before you should be a wife, you should be your mother. And then you should work in your daily professional work, the hobbies and that the kinds of things are not important. And you don’t need to make something like that. Actually, so many people think we’re saying, Why are you making something like that is nonsense, and something, etc. But I try, I also tried to change something. And try to show that if a woman wants to sexist, she can, instead of all the difficulties that she faced, and I’ve worked at, I’ve worked a lot, I fall down, but that I get up again, and I’ve worked more I work more and, yes, right now, I’m happy where I am actually.
6:21
Wow, that’s such an inspiring story. You know, I can relate to you because I use Well, I was born in Indonesia, you know, where the culture is very similar. I feel like the main purpose for us to live is to go to school, get a good grade, so we can get a good job, get married, get a house and die, right. Exactly. So you know, when when you share that I really can relate to them. Because I know exactly how the pressure from not only the people around you, but the culture right. So that is incredible. And you know, I feel like for you, it’s much more, a lot more challenging, right? Because like you say, You’re a mother of two, you’re a woman. And you know that that makes things a lot more challenging. Now, when when you first pick up a camera, so I love this, I love how you share that, you know, a good camera is not the thing that take good photo, and hopefully the people who are kind of in the beginning of their journey starting to understand this, right? Because I really wish I know this a lot earlier. Now. What? What makes you love photography. So you say that, you know, you’re looking for a new hobby after you’re skydiving, which is fantastic. I always wanted to be a skydiver, by the way, you know, so you picked up your camera, you started to learn photography. But what makes you fall in love with it, what makes you stay and keep taking photos and going through telling, you know some of the most powerful stories that you have told to your photography.
8:13
I was living in a big city, in good conditions in in a good social status. And my holidays was in five star hotels at that time. As a lawyer I was earning good and my husband also earning good. And the people around me was just focused on getting some new clothes, new houses, new cars, and something like that. I was living in a society like that. And earning money means at that times, is just getting in buying a new house new clothes, new and brand, bags, shoes, etc. But when I started to take photos, I was visited the rural parts of Anatolia that I never been before. And I see how kind people are there. How they open all the life and all their houses to you how they make guests to their dinners to their breakfasts. And that’s really make me surprise. Everything was different from the life I was living in the big city and everything started to change in my mind. A good photographer once said that you can even say that you are seeing and understanding the world. Before taking photos, this is so right I understand it after I started to take photography. And I see that the things that we want to improve that we want more, make us less actually. Because I saw this in Anatolia, people were so polite people were so kind people were so humbled. But we all forget bad things in big cities, in my country, and touching the people’s story, touching their life, listening their stories made me so happy. I was also interested in literature, and I was writing some stories, and writing some papers on some important names, web pages in Turkey before and I realised that photography is writing a story, actually, you’re writing their story with your one frame, one single frame. And then we read the stories or novels written in past times, we can understand that, oh, they are reusing these things, they were living in that way. So they are also a part of history. But if it is a novel or a story, you can think that that writer is imagining that things. But if the topic is photography, people believe that people show the reality. And I decided to tell their stories with my photos, because with the technology with the time, so many cultures, so many traditions are disappearing. We need to document all that things and tell them stories. My travel photography journey started like this, because I love this, I feel myself that I’m finding new treasures. When I visited that parts of Turkey, I never had a chance in a five star hotel before that makes me fall in love in photography. Wow,
12:45
that is such a cool story. And I definitely can relate, you know, I was someone who really care about the materialistic things and I would earn fine money to be to be able to buy more stuff. And you’re you’re absolutely right, you know, the less we have, the more we appreciate things and make it’s funny because the less people have that, it seems like the Kinder they are and the less selfish they are, which exactly what you say, now. I really enjoy the way you tell a story to your photography, right? They are so powerful, they speak to you. Now, when you go out there and you start travelling and you look at this different culture, this different point of view, and you capture them and tell that story through your photography. What are some of the things that you look through? What are some of the thing that goes to your mind, so that you could tell you know this story in such a profound way?
13:54
I would totally in Antalya, our culture is so rich, so colourful, so contrast and you can imagine the philosophy between so many things. For example, when I went to moolah Promacta first, I see that people woman are building some six cars on their heads. Not just because they’re, they believe Islam, that scarfs was so different and they were putting fresh flowers on this scarves. And I asked them what all of you putting that fresh flower because in other parts of Anatolia, I never saw something like that. And then they answer me and they said that because they want to smell like fresh flowers to their husbands. And that makes me I can explain the I have feelings that I feel when I first hear that this was so unique, this was so special. So cayenne. And this is how Anatolian people look to the world actually, they don’t have money to get perfumes or something like that. But they find something special like this. People should hear that story. That’s why I started to take their photos, for example, and tell their story. Wherever you go, somewhere, when you try to communicate them, you can understand their story. If you can’t become one with them, if they can’t share their story with you, you can understand them. And if you don’t understand them, you can’t tell their story in a proper way. When I go somewhere to take photos, I never get my camera in the beginning and take photos, I started to talk with them. I started to understand with them, they I share my story, they share their story and after understand what they are leaving what they feel how to be a person in that place, then I’m taking photos and maybe that’s why my photos are a little bit different from the other photos because I can understand their story. And if he can’t understand someone’s story can tilt.
16:50
Yeah, that’s incredible. I really love that I really love that approach. And you’re right, most of us kind of go out there and bring our camera and take a photo. Because it looks appealing. It looks good not to tell the story. Right? Well, you know it, the story might come afterward. But I love your approach. I love your approach on understanding the story and understanding what is the best way to share that through your photography. And I think that’s just so powerful. Because, like you say, you know, if you don’t understand this story, then how can you capture it in a way that tell their story? Wow, that is just incredible. That’s incredible, I’m sorry, that it just really take, you know, my breath away. And I really enjoy that. And, you know, that’s I mean, I really can see that, you know, I really can see that through your photography. They really speak they really have an emotion and I could just imagine that, you know, you understanding what they’re thinking through what what the emotion that they have before they that you capture these photos, right? I mean, coming from a landscape photographer, or you know, Astro photographer, and nature photographer, I don’t get that as much right. But that is such a great lesson to learn. Thank you for sharing that.
18:13
Thank you for giving this opportunity to me actually. I love landscape photos, I still photo graphy also macro and wide love, but they are not my cup of tea actually. Because I love listening to people’s story I love touching their life, and the way of touching their life is taking photo. Because I’m not just touching the button of my camera, I’m talking with them, I’m sharing time to them and they are sharing their times. With me. That’s why I love photography.
19:00
Wow. It’s you know, it’s I really enjoy listening to you talking because you have I can hear the passion, the love for the people and the love for photography from your from your story. So that is just incredible. Now, one thing that I’m wondering right when you when you come across this. So for example, you know, coming from a nature photographer, or an astro photographer, I would think about, you know, what are the different places and think about, you know, how it could have looked like, where the landscape is where the light is. Now, one thing that I’m interested in, right is how do you pick your destination? Do you have a certain criteria, a certain thing that interests you, or do you just kind of travel and see what what story you can tell from there.
19:58
It’s changing time to time actually because, for example, I was know, that woman wearing some interesting scarves on mulatto, Magda, and I go there. There are some photography places in all around the world, you know, also in Turkey, and we know that places, but the challenging thing is going that places and taking some different photos from the photos that taken before, that is the most challenging one, because it’s not easy if people go there and take some good photos before. But I love challenges during all my life. And also sometimes I’m trying to find some places, which will sweet my topic. For example, I decided to go a city in Turkey, for to take photos. Before going there, I’m making some readings, I’m trying to understand what is popular in that city or in that town? What are their traditions, and then when I go, that’s the I’m trying to find that things, every part of Anatolia, I have so many different things to photograph. So probably I will continue taking photos in my country. And it’s easy to understand their story to be one with them. And that makes me more comfortable while taking photos. Because if you want to have tourists in a country, it’s not easy to understand the whole story, you’re just taking photos, just like a tourist and you can jump into the deep of distorted debuff to cities deep of the people. Some I love taking that kinds of photos. And usually I’m trying to find the local people who will help me in that areas to show and to also explain their culture deeply. I’m choosing the destinations or the place like that.
22:24
That is incredible. Yeah, I love that. So when you you know, go to this places like and you know, to your photography, you have taken a lot of photos that have a profound meaning to it right? There is such, there is a lot of message behind your photography, at least from what I have seen. Now, do you have any some sort of mission or any purpose that you’re trying to achieve from this messages? Or is it more about just the storytelling and just so happen this, you know, the impact that you give from the photo, you know, kind of just turned out that way.
23:08
Actually, before winning natural thermal photography, photography contest, I was just taking single photos and trying to tell the stories of the cities or the people I visited during my travels. But after 2017 I decided to also make photo projects, make documentary photo project because sometimes just a single photo is not enough to tell a big problem to take attention to a important social issue. So I started thinking, What can I do? Because I believe the power of photography, I believe that I believe how photography can reach the millions if the photographer use it in a proper way. We see we saw these examples in art history. So my first long term project was with cancer patients because I want to take attention to the importance of early diagnosis. I I believe that if you’re if someone is afraid of something, they can be careful. But if you make advertisements and saying that everything will be great, you will be healed. Everything will be great. People stop afraid of that illnesses like cancer. So I want So, tell the story of Zeynep. She was one of my main model in my project. She was healing too. And her story was so heartbreaking and so emotional. But then unfortunately and unexpected, Lee, we lost her. Cancer made a metastasis, and we lost her. And I understand how things can change quickly. And from her story, I wanted to broke people’s hurt, I want to make them sad, because I believe that if they become sad, they can get Doctor controls. Early diagnosis, if they have some problems, the doctors can get that in early stages. I’ve worked with cancer patients. And then COVID comes our lives two years ago, you know, and everything was like a science we film. We were watching from our computers, from our televisions, what’s happening in China while everything was so far, and it was like, We will not affect with these things. And then it becomes the whole world’s reality. And after World War Two, nothing affected whole world like that. And I can stop myself to take the photos of that times, because as a photographer, I can’t change the history, but I can show it. That was my motto. So I tried to get permission to go to the intensive care unit to go to the hospitals to go to the streets to take the photos. But especially in the beginning of the pandemic, there were no vaccine, even they were not trained once. Proper treatments for COVID No one let me permission. But then I use the power of social media I made. I wrote some tweets. And first of all Ankara municipal to hear my voice. We were all in lockdown in Ankara, but they get permission for me. And I photograph the disinfection periods of all public transformation areas or the other places. And then I get permission from Gaza University, hospital, I risked my life, I risked my children’s life. But I go to the hospital and take photos for one month, not just one day, just for today, I went that hospital every single day for months, just to make something different and stroke because after 100 year, when we all died, people will remember these times from our photos. This is the power of photography, with photography, your writing history, and can you imagine you will be the part of history with your photos. This is something being immortal in my opinion, I may be die, but people will remember my name with that photos. And this is so important for me. I get all that risks, and I photograph all the parents all parts of I choose photos in all parts of the hospital. And that project Mr. That’s in almost all photo contests. So I’m so happy with that project and after NatGeo my point of view to photography is changed also and I also tried to take attention to these social importance issues and take photos of them. I’ve worked with seasonal workers children because you know with COVID Our children started education from far away from laptops from computer but the The economical situation is not same in every part of Turkey and so many children don’t have internet connection, don’t have laptops, and they couldn’t get the education they should get from the government from their country. So I made a photo project to take attention to that. unequality actually, something like that.
30:27
Wow, that is incredible. What a story. So I’m just trying to, you know, put my thoughts together here. You know, that’s just so incredible what you did, you know, I saw your, your project, your photo series around COVID. And it’s absolutely incredible right? Now, what, what going through your head, what makes you want to risk your life, I know that, you know, you, you, you you want, you kind of mentioned about leaving a legacy, being able to be part of the history. But in order to do that, you’re not only risking yours, yourself, but also, you know, like you say, risking your daughter. So
31:11
how, actually, both of them.
31:15
And you’re doing it for a month, right? So what was that month look like? Like, just take us through, you know, the day in the life of Dilek. During that one month, when you were going back and forth to the hospital to document this incredible pandemic?
31:35
Actually, it wasn’t easy, but I couldn’t stop myself. And you can’t imagine how many? No, I heard during the wall permission process. Everyone’s saying, No, you should stay at your home, you’re a woman, you should take care of your children and stay at home. And normally, it’s hard for me to want some thing from someone and to ask some help from the others. But I couldn’t stop myself because I was seeing that how COVID affecting the whole world. And I couldn’t stop myself, I couldn’t think anything. And I was good. I was willing to close on me going to the hospital, taking photos during the whole time. And during at 5pm. For Turkish time, I was leaving the hospital coming home, taking the cloths on me in front of my house, putting them in a bag. And then with the clean cloths in me, I was going home but also I was putting some scarf on my hairs because I don’t want to affected my children if my hair gets some wires or not. I was washing my clothes with hot water in ocean machine. Also making a shower with hot water. And I wasn’t coming together with my children, not just one month, after one month. The doctor suggested me to live separately with my children for one month too. And you can’t imagine how hard it is how hard it is. I love being close to the people. I love being close to my children. I love hugging them. I love touching them. But I couldn’t make this and I was just sitting in front of my computer making some Instagram talks or something like that. And I was so curious. I realised that I’m checking my favour almost all the time. And I was thinking that I get infected and I will gonna die. And I was just praying for not infecting my children. It was easy while I was in hospital, but it wasn’t easy while I was waiting at home and thinking if I infected or not. And I get 20 kilos during that period. I was just eating I was just eating. And during my pregnancies. I didn’t get that weight actually. But the full periods really affected me so much. Oh, also emotionally, too. But thanks God. I didn’t affect it. I’m not in that period during the Wu COVID times I never effected. It’s surprising. I’m lucky, I guess. Maybe that’s why I go that gut, maybe God chose me to make that project because being one month in hospital and being so close to the patients was not easy, actually.
35:24
Yeah, wow. That’s, that’s incredible. You know, I saw the documentary on I can’t remember what what TV station it was. But I saw a documentary on how hotel what are the different routine that the hotel have to go through when they accept people for quarantine, and it was in it was crazy. So that’s why I was very interested to hear what was that, you know, journey like for you. And, you know, doing that for a month and a little bit more. That’s, that’s just crazy, you know, the amount of dedication that you put in there. It’s, it’s unprecedented. And I admire that very much. Now. I’m still curious, right. So you document all this incredible photos, and events that had happened during probably going to be one of the global event one of the, you know, an event that affected globally, like you say, you know, ever since the World War Two. Now, when you when you kind of, you know, put all the when you kind of put all the intention together and you tell yourself, I want to document this thing, I want to be able to go into these places where the people are infected, where the people are getting affected in the most, how do you go about getting that permit? Because like you say, you have come across a lot of nose. And I could imagine, right, what people thinking when they hear this was like, Are you crazy? Like no, is they home? So what? How did you end up getting that permit and being able to actually document this event?
37:22
First of all, I was just sitting at home in the beginning of first COVID. Case detected in 11, march in Turkey. And I was in hospital in May. During that two months, I was trying to get permission. But first of all, I didn’t think going on the hospitals and taking some photos, I was thinking that this period will end in a few weeks at least. But I was just sitting at my home trying to see something different. What can I show that home? I made something I made something different, actually. But it wasn’t enough for me. There was a war outside. And I can be part of that historic historical times. So I get calls with so many people. But the only thing I heard was No. First of all, they were saying that you are not a journalist. And even the journalists are coming here and taking one or two days, but you want to stay and take photos so many times so it’s impossible. And it and when I talked with someone they were saying, yes, taking that photos can be a good idea. But our hospital has some public relation. Ship departments. And there’s a guy he is taking some photos he can take to Yes, anyone can take photos but taking some good photos is something different. So it wasn’t easy. It wasn’t easy. But finally, while I was making an Instagram talk at that times at Doctor heard my voice and he said that Mr. Like you can come and take photos if you want in my hospital. I’m taking photo I’m trying to take some photos, but I’m in the beginning of my photography journey. And I can I open the doors to you and you can teach me how to take photos. I said okay, but it was incredible. Everything was done. becoming so easy. I wasn’t used to that everyone should send me no. And I want the hospital. We talked with the director of the hospital, he was so kind to, and he said that you can start now. And I said, No, I didn’t come with proper clothes to take some photos. I’m viewing sweets right now. So, okay, I will come together and start everything started in that way. I, after all that periods I find a way to take photos. And also I wrote a paper to governments. Because I want to take some photos in government hospital and Institute hospitals to and people liked me. They said that they will never answer you. system because, you know, so many people writing papers to them, but they never answered. After one month, they answered me. In that paper, I explained, who am I what is my aim, what I want to do with that photos. And they led me to take some photos still in city hospital. And after working in Gaza University, hospital, I went to city hospital to take some photos, but it was just for two days. And it wasn’t enough to take some really strong photos. Because when you’re a foreigner in a place, they all get nervous, and you can’t catch the natural body language. At the time, being in one month in Ghazi University Hospital was so important because they use to me, they get used to me, they stop seeing me, I become one with them. And they just forget me, they were just thinking there’s a crazy woman taking all the time. So they stop thinking at me. They stop worrying about me also, because in the beginning, when I first go to hospital, they were a little bit furious and worrying about me because I could infected myself too. And I can go into hospital as a patient. But they understand and they see how I’m obeying the rules and don’t making something stupid at the hospital. So yeah, I become invisible. Oh, and get all that photos.
42:47
That is such an incredible story. And you know, what I love about it is that you you persist, right? You don’t give up, you keep going, you keep knocking on the door and eventually door open. But once the door open, you know you you do it the right way you follow the rules and making sure that you’re not adding the problem, you know, adding to the problem. And I admire that very much. Because, you know, it’s hard to be out there and documenting these things, you know, all these incredible events, right? But doing it in a way that doesn’t create more harm to the rest of the people. I think that is just incredible. So massive congratulations for you, you know, you highly deserve to get the award for that. I mean, it’s just such an incredible story. So we you know, moving on from that we talked about earlier before the podcast and us, you mentioned it yourself that that basically, you know, once you won that award with the Nat Geo, you started to look things differently starting to work more on a longer term project and looking through the different ways that you can get that you can share the voice of issues that is important. Now, share with us, you know, with the audience, what are some of the project that you are working on right now? And what is your mission behind that?
44:26
Right now I’m working on a project to take attention to climate change because climate change is one of the biggest problems that the humanity and the world faced right now. And there are some harmful effects of coal mines to the environment and it’s affected the Climate change also And we should find some alternative energy sources. This can be changed from the geographical station of your country or your location. But there are so many alternative station but especially after the war between Ukraine and Russia, the cool months become more important, aka, some, I want to take attention to that point, and make a long term project to show all that things deeply. And I’m working with them right now. Oh, I went to some coal mines for five times. And I will continue going there and taking photos. It’s not an easy project for me. Also, it wasn’t easy to get permissions again. Probably I always love something challenging. Because when you make something like that, you also inspire the young ladies in your country. This is important. For me, being an artist is not just taking some good photos in my opinion, being an artist is also inspiring the young generations with your stand with your thoughts with your speaks with your stand with your also behaviours. So I’m trying to do my best as an artist. I’m trying to be a role model to them. So yes, it’s not easy. It’s not easy for me to do take photos in cool minds, because I don’t like I have some claustrophobic problems. And I can stand in close areas in dark, but I’m going in crude minds. Can you imagine how it was challenging for me also. But yes, some good photos are coming. I was so excited, especially after some shoots and I sent them to some photo contest and seeing that they are choosing as editor pique and shortlisted in some context is also making me happy. Because I didn’t finish the project. Right now. I just send some of them as single photos. But what I get was so helpful. So I’m so hopeful with my new long term project too.
47:50
Wow, that is incredible. Yeah, look, I used to be an engineer and I used to work in aluminium refinery. So I know how difficult it must have been for you to get, you know, permission to get in there. Especially to take photos. I know, mining companies doesn’t like people doing that, right.
48:11
There are three kinds of mining companies. One is under the control of government, one’s private. And also there are illegal coal mines, they don’t have any permission. If someone see and find that cool ones, they destroyed them. I find some two illegal coal mines. And I will go there and take some photos soon. It will also be so dangerous for me because being in an illegal coal mine means also risking my life again. And just one month ago, an explosion happens in one of the biggest coal mines that I was, I was planning to shoot to. So it’s not easy. Yes, I’m risking my life again. But something good cannot happen. If you don’t take risks. In my opinion, comfort zones are our most barrier, in my opinion, when you take out of your comfort zone. Something good has happened. In my opinion.
49:31
That is so great. I totally agree with that. And yeah, like just you know, rules and regulation to keep the mind safe. The is probably what’s making them illegal. So going to a coal mine that’s illegal, going to be a lot more dangerous. So please do take care of yourself when you go out there. I know how dangerous it could be, you know, being an engineer working on there. And yeah, it’s just so many hazards and so many things. would go wrong in no time. So make sure that you take care of yourself. But climate change is something that I feel, you know, I feel powerful. I feel Yeah, powerfully about because I feel like there’s there is not enough urgency around that. And it’s, you know, I used to live in Canada, I see how quickly ice caves and glaciers disappearing within the short two years, two and a half years that I was there. So just imagine what’s going to happen in 1015 20 years, right? We’re not even talking about decades here, we’re talking about years. So I’m so happy that you’re doing this, you know, in, in a sense that to bring more voice out there to bring more awareness out there, but make sure that you are safe, because we love you. And we want you. We want you to be around. So yeah,
50:59
thank you. I’m trying my best. But, yes. Let’s think positive things and fingers crossed.
51:11
Yeah, fantastic. All right. Well, you know, it’s been a pleasure, we’re coming to the one hour mark is such a pleasure to hear a lot of story from you. And, you know, when you finish the project, perhaps you could come back to the podcast and share a little bit about that project about, you know, the impact that it has been give it has given? I think that would be amazing to hear. But one question that I always ask my guests, you know, and you say to yourself, I, as a as an artist, we have the responsibility to share our vision to share our voice with the younger generation or with the rest of the world. So if there is one advice that you could give, either to young, younger yourself or maybe to your daughter, or maybe to anyone in the world, right, just the one advice, what would that one advice be,
52:06
um, that choosing one advice is not easy, actually. But if I should choose just one, I can advise them to work so much, and not race with the others, but race with yourself. You should be a better person. Before the person yesterday, just raise with yourself, not the others. And don’t keep, don’t leave working work so much. Because I believe that if someone works so much, he can succeed, she can succeed. Just
52:51
wow, that is such a great advice, especially, you know, in photography area, or in the artists area, you know, the artists, community, you know, there is a lot of competition, there is a lot of people a lot of impostor syndrome, you know, people are feeling that their heart is not good enough compared to other people. So, I believe that this is such a great advice. And it’s such an important one too. So thank you very much for sharing your wisdom, your story, as well as your insights right? To all of this unique experiences. Now, if this, if the audience want to find more about your photography about the project that you’re working on, or simply just want to get to know you better, what is the best way to find you?
53:46
My web page is one of the best way to find me. Also, I have an Instagram page and twitter account. They can find everything in that three platform error information about me.
54:03
Fantastic. All right, well, you know, we’ll put that under description. So if you want to find out and get in touch with Dilek, then feel free to do so. But thank you very much for being here. Dilek it’s been such a pleasure. It’s been a great conversation. I love hearing your story. I love hearing your wisdom and I am sure that the audience out there will get so much value from this. So thank you very much for your time and I very much appreciate having you here.
54:36
Thank you so much, Stanley for inviting me to this podcast and giving this opportunity to me thank you so much.
54:46
No, no worries at all. And you know, like I love having a female in my podcast because there are a lot of male photographers out there and it’s proven to be more difficult finding female coming to the podcast and like you say, right. You know, so I believe that’s important to you know, to, to speak their, their voice as as a female or a male, right, whichever you are, but we know that the male are a lot more dominant in this in this in this niche. So thank you very much for being here and for having that courage not only to voice your messages, but also to actually go out there and knocking on doors and doing the things that most people don’t want to do to share the social issue. I find a lot of inspiration for that and I admire you for that. So yeah, fantastic.
55:48
Thank you. Thank you so much.
55:51
All right, well, we can’t do this thank you very much for Lucy listening in and man, that was a great podcast it’s just so much wisdom so much great stories behind that. So make sure you check Deluxe photo there is so many great gems and when you go to her photo, you can feel the emotion that she tries to tell to those photographs. So let us know in the comment or in the in the review how you feel about this podcast. If you enjoy this particular episode or any other episode, don’t forget to subscribe. And let me know if there is other photographer other artists that you’d like me to have an interview in this podcast. Well, with that being said, we can hunters. Thank you very much for listening, listening. today. I’ll see you guys next week. Keep creating and keep shooting. Until next time
