To celebrate World Photography Day and visual artists from all over the world, Depositphotos, a content marketplace with over 210 million images, music, and videos, is introducing a new project called “The Photographer’s Way”. Over the next 2 weeks we will present 2 portfolios a week from their selection, this is : Masis Usenmez.
The project explores what it takes to become a photographer. What stereotypes do artists face during their journeys? How do they cope with personal issues through photography? What helped them expand their boundaries and follow their passion?
Masis Usenmez
A Turkish photographer living in France, who takes black and white street images and steers away from the complexity of color.
Your loneliness can be your strength. It can help you with your style of art, just don’t go in too deep.
I grew up and lived in Bakırköy – one of the most crowded neighborhoods in Istanbul. I had a happy childhood, even though we didn’t have much in the 80s. We were probably the last generation to play in the streets, and when the computer revolution started, I got really into it.
A couple of years ago, I moved from Turkey to France. I did not know French, and it was difficult to connect with the new people and their culture. Although I connected on social media a lot, I felt very lonely during the first six months.
To sort out my feelings, I went to the streets. I observed lonely people in crowds. I thought about what they do, where they’re heading, and what is going on in their minds. With my street photography, I was able to ask questions and find answers.
That is how I came up with the idea to create a photo series called “La Solitude”. I realized that we cannot socialize as much in modern cities. Even though there are many people around us, we don’t look at them or talk to them. We are lonely in our daily activities.
It’s very different to be connected with people on social media than in real life. There is a time gap. You can change what you say or erase it. You still feel like you are alone in the room. Just your laptop and you.
My message is that loneliness is not a bad thing. It is natural and it can help you with your style of art. Just don’t go in too deep, and don’t close down in your loneliness. It should not necessarily be a dark place for you. Your loneliness can be your strength too.
ABOUT DEPOSITPHOTOS
Depositphotos is a leading content marketplace with 210 million royalty-free images, videos, vectors, illustrations, and music. It fosters a community of 100,000 creatives, who submit their works to help clients from 192 countries visualize their ideas. The company’s headquarters are in New York, with offices located in Milan, Kyiv, Moscow, and Limassol.
