The 'Beyond the Lens with Adem Meleke' event was organized by Üsküdar University Health, Culture and Sports (SCS) Directorate, led by the Young Communicators Club of the Faculty of Communication's Public Relations and Promotion department. Adem Meleke, owner of GezginFoto Magazine and a photographer, attended the event as a guest. A photographer follows the light; they must be a hunter of light, said Meleke, adding that every human face tells a different story in each photograph.
The event took place at the Güney Yerleşke Şehit Duha Beker Conference Hall, organized by Üsküdar University Young Communicators Club.
“A photographer follows the light”
Adem Meleke, owner of GezginFoto Magazine and a photographer, emphasized the importance of light in photography, stating: “The first thing a photographer must do is follow the light. What does it mean to follow the light? When I enter a place, look at a person, or go outside, I always first perceive the light there. When I look at my friend, I always see the light and shadow falling on their face; if there is a shadow, there is light. Einstein’s approach also states that if there is light, there is shadow. I first look at the light, and a photographer follows the light; they must be a hunter of light to create a photograph and add something to it from their own perspective.”
“A camera is no different from a dishwasher”
Emphasizing that photography is beyond just technique, Meleke said: “A camera is no different from a dishwasher. It has a user manual, some buttons, you make various settings with it, and you take pictures. Why is it so difficult? The materialist world has to sell you something. That’s why they differentiate. Everyone who learns a skill in a field lets their ego take over. ‘I can do it, so I have to make it seem very difficult for you not to be able to.’ No, friends, the easiest part of photography is the camera itself. If you are a good photographer, you know master Ara Güler. Ara Güler has a saying; ‘Give me a Singer sewing machine, and I will take a picture.’ he says. I am the one taking the picture.”
“There are great stories in people”
Adem Meleke, mentioning that every human face tells a different story in each photograph, said: “For me, a photograph containing a person expresses a completely different value. That’s why I want you to be diligent in understanding people. This is somewhat the damage that this age of communication and rapid consumption inflicts on you. We scroll through everything quickly, we scroll through those around us quickly, and the streets too. Yet, there are great stories in the human face, in people. Those who give more importance to this, those who give more importance to this will live life more easily in the future, in the near future, and in the distant future.”
The event concluded after the presentation of a certificate of appreciation and a group photo session.
Reporter: Tarkan Küçükgüzel
Photographs: Tarkan Küçükgüzel - İlyas Dursun