I am a photographer by passion. I see myself more of a visual storyteller, an adventurer. I have a strong urge to convey stories of humanity. Illuminating chronicles of life, witnessing moments of curiosity, wonder & creativity, telling a compelling story all ignite my passion for photography. Having my camera in my hand keeps me current, keeps me in the moment, allows me to document life as it unfolds. My passion, my vision and my visual stories are my best way of engaging with life because the world matters.

I have always amazed by photography and loved looking at old family photos which inspired me to start capturing family kodak moments (pre-digital era). It still did not satisfy the impulse, there was something missing, I found myself longing for more and turned my focus to the rest of the world as well. Once I did, it was like the missing piece of the puzzle. It was back in 2007 when I got my first DSLR and after that my photography journey took off to a more profound level; my love and passion grew even deeper. I see and I shoot. I see with my eyes, but I shoot with my heart. As a documentary photographer I look beyond the labels and liberate myself from judgments as I discover the remarkable world around me with my camera. I wander around, I observe, I engage and document the moments in time otherwise gone unseen. Every click I have done I had fallen in love with first. I desire to capture the genuine, the raw authentic moments. Discovering beauty in unusual corners is such a treat.

My main focus is life, people and their stories. Street photography, I prefer the name “life photography”, often referred to as anonymous paparazzi style ‘candid shots’ without people noticing you photographing them. Personally, I prefer my subjects to see me; to know that I am turning my focus on them. I enjoy interacting with people, getting to know them, and hearing their stories. I tune into a moment with all of my senses, emotions, and intellect as I wander the streets. I enjoy interacting with people. I make every effort to start a dialog before I click.

Photography helps me to connect with people; it helps me to connect with the world; it helps me to stay current. Photography to me is not a technical journey; it is rather a spiritual and visual journey that nurtures my soul. The feeling of contentment, inner peace, and abundance that I find through photography is exhilarating. When I explore and document the world around me, when I express my inner self through my lens, I am truly happy and at peace, feel rested and inspired. It is a creative outlet that I find peace in. It is a way communication, self-expression. Often times I stroll the streets, wander around and respond spontaneously to the happenings around me but there are days I shoot with more of a purpose relating to the causes that matter to me to raise awareness, to provoke debates, so that the issues are discussed and hopefully solutions are found and/or offered. My photos are documents of my random connections. You not only see the stories of the people I run into, but also you see my story in my photos. A glimpse of who I am fills the frame. Enjoy my visual journeys.

www.flickr.com/photos/yaprakscaptures/

www.facebook.com/yaprak.o.soysal

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Inspired Eye Street Photography Magazine featured me via interview + photos in Fall of 2022. Later I was asked by them to write an article about my way of shooting and that got published + some more of my recent work in Fall of 2023.

In February 2023 my work got published in Docu Magazine. They featured two of my photos.

In December 2023 B&H featured one of photos on their B&H Creators page as a creator spotlight feature.

I am currently an active member of Philadelphia Photo League and Photographic Society of Philadelphia.