Ahmet Polat

Early into his photography career, Ahmet Polat realised that he couldn't hide behind the camera. "I'm a tall guy, 6ft 3in, so when I come into a space, people notice me," he smiles. "Photography pushed me into the world. It pushed me to develop social skills, communication skills. I learnt that everything that happens in front of the camera has to do with you."

This understanding has shaped the kind of photography Ahmet shoots. Since the earliest days of his career, identity and heritage – his father is Turkish, his mother Dutch – have been a crucial influence.

But, with so many museums and galleries opening, it was an exciting time to be in Turkey's largest city. Ahmet became part of an artistic community while shooting documentary projects about topics ranging from the Gölcük and Yalova earthquakes to the country's high society. His book, Gurbetçi, chronicled villages in Turkey and the Netherlands linked by immigration.

"People talk about empathy a lot these days, but it is something you can train, you can learn," Ahmet says. "That's where the journey started for me, where photography became something more than just taking pictures."

This empathetic approach to the people he photographed, along with his talent and rigour, earned Ahmet the ICP Infinity Awards' Young Photographer prize in 2006. Refusing to be known solely as a documentary photographer, he started shooting fashion editorials for Vogue Turkey in 2009, ultimately becoming the magazine's creative director. "I wanted to incorporate Ottoman history into fashion photography. In the beginning it was a tough sell, but it got so much international support," he says. "My attitude was: I'm here to push boundaries."

In 2015, Ahmet decided to return to the Netherlands with his family and take up the prestigious role of Laureate Photographer of the Dutch Nation – which saw him champion the importance of visual literacy in education – before founding his own studio in 2018. Today, Studio Polat works on many photography projects covering themes including masculinity and migration, in partnership with educational and cultural organisations, as well as museums such as Fotografiemuseum Amsterdam and the Rijksmuseum. Ever open to new ideas, new narratives and new ways of working, Ahmet remains steadfast in his dedication to the craft of storytelling.

What are you trying to achieve through Studio Polat?

"The idea is to create more diverse narratives and to support young talent. That's our ethos. We need more female photographers and we need more equality and diversity in all ways because it adds to the perspective."



Why is it important for you to work on subjects long term?

"Knowing more about the people you photograph changes the images you take, the way you edit and the way you contextualise your work. You need to know everything – the political and the personal. In different cultures, people have different ways of expressing themselves."



How do you decide which medium to use for a project?

"I'm always very aware of who I'm doing this for, where it needs to land. Not every project needs to be an exhibition. Not every exhibition needs to be a book. When you want to do something for a specific group, you have to think 'where do these people get information or get involved'? Sometimes we cross over with theatre because we want to engage people in a much more direct way, and then we use photography to contextualise the theatre."



You started as a stills photographer but now work across many disciplines. Where next?

"My ambition for the past five years has been to become a film director. I'm about to make my first feature-length documentary, called The Bastard. I love the idea that you now have cameras that you can also shoot films with, but that doesn't mean you're a filmmaker. You have to work on that. It's like photography – it seems simple, but it's so hard."

"Sometimes you feel lost and that you're not doing the right thing because you have not had commercial success, or you feel that your stories don't matter because nobody is interested. It's not true. If you read interviews with me from 10 years ago, I said many of the same things I am saying today. Something made me feel the need to make the stories I was making. There will be a time when your work will become relevant or when you will find a better way to express yourself, to communicate your stories. Just keep following what you really believe is important."

Twitter: @AhmetPolatPhoto

Website: www.studiopolat.org