Senol Zorlu – „Between Art and Documentation“

“My first attempt to photography as an artistic expression was on an excursion to India in October 1996”. Since that first photo tour, Senol Zorlu has managed to create a number of powerful photographs, some of which you can find in our online gallery.

“The Kids of Manda” is a project that Zorlu tackled in 2008. Supported by NOAH FOUNDATION, he set out to document the social and cultural circumstances that street children in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo are living in every day.

When he met the street kids for the first time, he instantly became somewhat of an unusual attraction.

“My first arrival resulted in an unexpected and highly energetic attention by the children, which I didn’t invited as I tried to not disturb the daily business of education and accommodation for the children. I should have seen it though, since I already arrived fully equipped. Being photographed and being seen on the tiny built-in LCD screen was therefore quite a little sensation for the children.”

On his web page (which is definitely worth a look- not only for the pictures, but also for his blog) Zorlo writes about how this project has been his best and most inspired work so far. With a good reason: The emotions and expressions that he captured allow you to momentarily glimpse a life that seems so far from our own.

In 2009 he went on yet another excursion, this time to Brazil and Colombia. Again, he captured powerful scenic moments that deeply fascinate. Some of these photographs can be found in our gallery as well.

A remarkable feature in Zorlu’s work is the way in which he uses natural lighting to give his pictures both a unique, strong character and an incredibly balanced look. His landscape shots show an almost mystical symmetry with a color palette that always perfectly reflects the climate and mood in which these moments were captured.

During his many photo excursions he has created numerous works that enable us to see the world through his uniquely talented perspective.