Conversations with Asya Cetin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Asya Cetin.

Hi Asya, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a Turkish photographer and director, living and working between New York and, more recently Paris. I split my time between the two cities. I moved to New York for my visual arts studies but from day one I was starstruck and I knew I wanted to be a photographer here. I’m especially drawn to fashion photography because it gives me the freedom to explore characters and create cinematic, dreamy worlds space where I can escape reality and tell stories that feel both personal and imaginative with my creative collaborators.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing in the creative world is really easy, especially when you’re just starting out and there’s no clear structure or roadmap. On top of that being an Turkish miving from Istanbul in New York meant I had to start everything from scratch. It was definitely challenging but I’ve always felt that New York is a place where you work and build your goals. If you work hard here- also the right people those who share your ideas and energy will naturally find their way to you here.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work usually blends intimacy and story whether it’s a single portrait or a full editorial. I think what makes me different is how I was raised and the experiences I’ve had traveling and creating in different places espically politcal challanges bring you different type of sense of humor and you wanna portrait a different reality. Those experiences shape how I see the world and tell stories. I love combining fashion, characters, and the environment in a way that feels raw but poetic, making images that stick with you and spark curiosity.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
NY is where anything can happen in same day without a plan. It can lift you to highs or challenge you in ways you never imagined It’s built by dreamers and doers people fully committed to find their potential, creating, and building something bigger than themselves. There’s a chaos here but also a magic a feeling that anything is doable if you are in the right mindset.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: asyacetin

Image Credits
Photos shot by: Jack Demarzo for Asya Cetin’s latest solo show Unguarded at Zarolat Gallery Brooklyn New York