Click. With the press of one button, one is able to capture the moment, your loved one, a beautiful flower, or simply anything that catches your eye. For Yayla Tur ’22, photography isn’t just a form of media, but “ a peace-making art in its own form of therapy.” With more and more media representation, photography is a great way to capture everyday moments that we often overlook. Perhaps it is artists like Tur and other photographers that allow us to wonder, stay informed, and get inspired. Whether they are using their film camera or their phone, Tur  is able to call attention to the beauty surrounding us.

In a society where almost everything is digital, as a photographer, how do you feel about social media where you are faced with so much fast-paced social media? 

I think in a lot of ways, it can be overwhelming because it’s so overstimulating when there’s so much there. But at the same time, I feel like I’ve connected with different artists I would have never met, and found so many small artists and big artists that have become such inspiration for me. So although it can be a lot, it can also be very inspiring and it’s so exciting to see all those works from different perspectives. 

When do you usually take photos? 

I generally just have a camera with me all the time. I enjoy taking photos all the time constantly rather than having set photoshoots. I like to take photos on the go more, showcasing my day-to-day life. And also when I’m with my friends I try to capture the moments as well. 

Do you prefer taking photos on your phone or your camera?

It depends on what I’m going for. When taking film photos, there’s a different quality to it, especially when I’m going for flash photography, which I’ll always use a film camera for. If it’s on my phone, it’s generally more in quick situations. But also, there are different pros and cons to each. And it all depends on what the subject is going to be, and the quality I want.

Is there a specific platform you use to showcase your work? 

I’d say the most is VSCO, just because that’s where I’ve connected with a lot of artists that do digital photography, and collage. It’s a good way to share your art in a less judgmental space in comparison to Instagram, where you can get compiled likes.

What or who do you like to take photos of most? 

I love taking photos of my friends because I love capturing moments that I really enjoy with them. My friends have become very used to it, they know not to pose and just keep doing what they’re doing. I take a lot of photos of my best friend Helenka, or people I spend a lot of time with. So yeah, generally I think I enjoy taking photos of people the most. I also have a mini-series of just lights in houses from the outside at night. There’s something about the way it shines through the window that I think is really cool. 

What do you do after taking the photos?

So usually, I edit them a bit. It sort of depends on what I’m going for. A lot of times, there will be a photo I really like but it seems like there’s something missing. That’s when I start to collage photos, digitally usually, although I also do traditional collage with paper. Or I’ll combine a photo of something I’ve drawn, digitally layering it. But it all depends on the photo.

I know with oil paint or music, it is very easy to go back and forth and fix your work until you are satisfied with your final product. Does it bother you that with photography there is really no “re-capturing” of the moment?  

It depends. Especially with film, you have to be really frugal with it because you only have so many photos on a roll and developing film is expensive. Sometimes I’ll have photos where one thing is just a little too blurry, a little too this or that. There’s some little mess-up, which can be frustrating but in one way that is part of the beauty of photography. You just keep going, and it’s on the go, and you can’t tweak it in the same way you can painting. Although of course with digital collage, you can edit them to a certain degree, there is something nice about just it being how it is, and you can’t fix it. 

As an artist, how are you able to enjoy your work? Do you think there are advantages with photography over typical traditional art?

One thing with photography, especially with film, it’s nostalgic. Of course, you can look back on your memories, especially with film because it can take a while to finish a whole roll. You can start it in the summer and not finish it or develop it until the winter. And half of them, you won’t be able to look back until you get them developed so you’ll forget you took those photos, you’ll see them and you’re transported back to that time. So it’s definitely really nice to capture them, look back, and be reminded of real-life moments. In a way, it is sort of a peace-making art in its own form of therapy.

When taking a photo, what is your motto or motive?

To a certain degree, trying to capture but also trying to stay in the moment. Not becoming too concerned with taking a photo or taking a perfect photo, especially when I’m with my friends I don’t want to be so focused on taking photos of them. I just want to take it off the side, not people posing for it, me not putting too much of my time, and still getting to enjoy the moment itself.