Gökhan Arer
Info
An Istanbul-based candid street photographer and a chemical engineer by profession. Since 2015, I’ve been walking the chaotic streets of this city with one simple goal: to frame the unexpected. My work focuses on spontaneous juxtapositions that can’t be staged — illusions found in everyday life, visible only for a fleeting moment. I do — unscripted, vibrant, and full of visual irony. Photography, for me, is not just documentation — it’s a moment of escape. A pause. A punchline.
Born in 1970, I hold an M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering before leaving the corporate world to fully dedicate myself to candid street photography. My work has gained international recognition through its distinctive use of juxtaposition, visual illusion, and layered storytelling. In 2022, I was awarded **Winner of the Street Photography International (SPi) Competition**, followed by finalist placements in several prestigious international photography awards. In 2024, I had the honor of serving as a juror at the **Livorno Photo Meeting**. Since 2020, I have been leading street photography workshops and photowalks in Istanbul (JUXTANBUL CANDID), helping photographers develop not only technical skills but, more importantly, a new way of seeing. I also collaborate with **Shoot Like a Local** as their Istanbul photographer and have recently led workshops for **Leica Miami** and **Leica Frankfurt**. Anyone can teach techniques. Few can change the way you see. My goal is not simply to help you make better photographs—it is to help you see differently.
Services
No scripts. No setups. Just Juxtaposition. This workshop isn’t about teaching you how to control the streets — it’s about training your eye to see what no one else notices. We walk through Istanbul’s chaos not with rules, but with instinct, timing, and humor. You’ll learn how to frame the unexpected, how to use color like a language, and how to let coincidence work in your favor. Come unprepared. Leave with sharper vision. It isn’t just a walk through the chaos of Istanbul — it’s a 4-day experience designed to help you notice, interpret, and reframe the city’s rhythm. Each day focuses on a different layer: • Visual awareness and theory • On-the-street practice • Selective editing • Feedback and collective review This is more than just capturing moments. It’s about sensing humor, tension, color, and composition — and sharpening your candid instincts. Because to truly feel Istanbul, you need more than footsteps — you need a frame of mind.