Today we’d like to introduce you to Zeynep Celik.
Zeynep, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Austin to Turkish immigrant parents and was lucky enough that they always encouraged and supported my artistic vision. As soon as my hands were big enough to hold it, I stole my dads Polaroid to take pictures of dappled sunlight under an oak tree, leaf impressions in the sidewalk, or anything else that caught my 6-year-old eye and immediately fell in love with creating art. My mom encouraged this passion by taking me to drawing and painting classes and they even got me my first digital camera. As a young artist I had no sense of boundaries or rules so I was able to experiment with any subject or style of shooting, creating fantasy lands for my little sister to model in and recreating stories our mom used to read to us, and through this was able to naturally develop an authentic and personal point of view. This point of view was expanded with the discovery of photojournalism and work in publications like National Geographic that allowed me to explore not only my skills as an artist but also let me incorporate my growing passion for animals and nature. Art remained a passion for me all through my adolescence but the external pressures of the world made me think that it could only be a hobby, not a career, despite art classes always being the ones I felt most confident and comfortable in. So I followed my other passion and tried studying marine biology and while I was motivated, I continued to perform best in art related courses. But when family disaster struck and it felt like there was nothing left for me in Texas I decided to take the opportunity of having nothing to lose to leave Texas and pursue my artistic career.
Traveling became a constant in my life which gave me a lot of perspective and allowed me to experience other lives and outlooks, but New England was the fertile soil I needed to allow my artistic skill and vision to flourish. From painting classes overlooking the rough waters off the coast of Maine to underground darkrooms in Boston, I had more access to resources and a community that was equally dedicated to art as their craft. Getting my education at Montserrat College of Art was the venue for me to learn new disciplines, get critiqued to hone my skill, and expand my knowledge and understanding of the world but it all ultimately brought me back to my original medium – photography. I found that my artistic motivation was about storytelling and my camera was my most effective tool to share stories of all kinds. That skill for storytelling and my love for romance brought me to develop my own wedding photography business that has been successful for the last 4 years.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I graduated college in spring of 2020, not even being able to have a graduation ceremony, and out of a need for work and a real fear of scarcity I jumped at the opportunity to work for a team of wedding photographers. That set me on a path for the next 6 years working almost exclusively in wedding and lifestyle, it felt like the secure option for a photographer in a very unstable time for artists. During this time I broke off on my own to create my own business as a freelance wedding photographer and while it taught me a lot about operating a business, it didn’t save me from the fast-approaching burnout. I missed the freedom and authenticity of my style of photography, which was not possible in the restrictive “perfect” world of weddings and was trapped in the brand I created for myself. As I began to dread bookings I knew I had to make a change so at the beginning of this year I made the scary decision to shift my business and brand to better align with my artistic vision and values.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
For the past four years, I’ve worked primarily in wedding, engagement, family, branding, and event photography, while remaining open to exploring many different styles and subjects. I’ve never liked limiting myself to one category. Curiosity and experimentation are a big part of how I grow as an artist.
The work I’m most proud of is the work I create for myself. Projects rooted in personal experience, observation, and genuine curiosity. In 2020, our senior thesis exhibition was canceled due to the pandemic, and we never had the opportunity to publicly share that work. Last year, a former classmate reached out to our graduating class to see if anyone was interested in recreating the exhibition, and I was immediately excited by the opportunity.
It had been a long time since I had created art purely for myself, and returning to that space allowed me to explore deeper meaning in subjects I’m personally drawn to and build a cohesive body of work around them. Being able to revisit that moment and finally share intentional, personal work is something I’m truly proud of.
What sets me apart in the photography world is my openness. My background in fine art has shaped how I see and create, and I’ve spent most of my life refining my work through a diverse range of artistic influences and practices. I don’t confine myself to one subject or approach, and I’m always eager to learn, experiment, and expand my perspective within the art world.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Currently my online presence is all wedding and lifestyle but I am going back to my creative roots to explore fine art and photojournalism again. I like experimenting and pushing boundaries with different mediums, mixing and molding them to create even new ones. And as my activism has become even more important to me, I want to share my perspective on relevant and urgent issues to be part of the movement towards progress. Soon I will expand my business to include physical art (prints, cyanotypes, ect) and be a truly free freelance artist, creating art I love and am passionate about that I can share with people who will also love and appreciate it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zeynepcelikphoto.com
- Instagram: @zeycelikphoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zeycelikphoto
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/zeynepcelikphoto/
Image Credits
Zeynep Celik
