Süha Derbent is one of those “New Turks” whose work I follow with admiration.   Not only does he do something which we Turks ordinarily do not do, but he also does it  at a level on par with global standards.  Herewith you find the two components of my definition of  “New Turk”!

Derbent is Turkey’s  only “wildlife” photographer.  This sentence says a lot, as well as raising important questions:  How did someone like Derbent emerge from a milieu not known for its appetite for adventure and travel?  How could he muster up enough audacity to decide to make a living  in this field?  Questions that do not have ready made answers.

 

As someone who had the good fortune of experiencing the excitement of chasing a leopard in the African bush with Süha , I learned first hand the difficulties of his vocation.    While looking for the elusive leopard  the search was reminiscent of a hunting party, but with a vital difference:  It was a search for the beloved, not for a marked enemy or prey.   I soon realized that Süha had the greatest affection and love for the big cats he was trying “to shoot”.  Even more, he had deep respect for them.  You can see these qualities in his photographs.  Yet, you may not be able to see the effort that goes into taking them.  That, I saw with my own very eyes!

One of Süha’s innocent looking but fierce leopard photographs hangs in my office.  Whenever the city begins to suffocate me, I look at it and feel immensely better.

 

*Profesor of Communication, Istanbul Bilgi University
Columnist, daily Radikal
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About Süha DERBENT

Photo Editor, 1997-1999
GEZI/National Geographic Traveler magazine. Istanbul, Turkey.

Edited images on a monthly basis for the magazine, determined the imagery content of the assignments, participated in the decision making process of the page layout and the format of the magazine, liaised with free lance photographers, actively searched for potential sponsors interested in supporting a wide range of photo assignments, and decided the amount of royalty fees for photographers.

Photo Editor, 1995-1997
Marie Claire magazine (Turkish edition). Istanbul, Turkey

Shot wildlife and travel photos for the "A Different World" pages of the magazine which emphasized foreign travel and adventure, and took part in the editing of transparencies.

Staff Photographer, 1993-1995
Atlas magazine (a prominent Turkish travel and geography magazine). Istanbul, Turkey

Shot travel photos both in Turkey and in foreign countries.
Free-lance Photographer, 1985-1992 Cumhuriyet daily newspaper. Istanbul, Turkey

Worked as a free-lance photo journalist, and provided travel images for the Cumhuriyet Dergi--a weekly magazine of the same newspaper.

Major Accomplishments:

Travelled to at least 40 different countries. Shot wildlife photographs in India, South Africa, Canada, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.  Specialized in photographing big cats such as the Bengal tiger, cheetah, lion, and leopard. Possesses an extensive file of transparencies on rhinoceros, elephants, polar bears, a variety of antilopes, monkeys, wild African dogs, crocodiles, giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, hippopotamus, seals, hyaenas, jackals, and the like. Got published in leading Turkish magazines and newspapers such as the Hillsider magazine, Elle magazine, Amica magazine, Formsante magazine, Marie Claire magazine, Marie Claire Maison magazine, Travel magazine, Aktüel weekly, Tempo weekly, Gazete Pazar weekly, Microsoft bimonthly, GEZI/National Geographic Traveler  monthly, Atlas monthly, Radikal daily, Sabah daily, Takvim daily, Cumhuriyet daily and Hürriyet daily. Photographs made the cover numerous times in the GEZI/National Geographic Traveler and Atlas magazine. Appeared on several leading national television channels in Turkey such as the Kanal D, ATV, TGRT, TRT1, TRT2, Number 1 TV, and Prima TV. Most significant appearance took place in April 1999 on the prime time news program, Arena, of the Kanal D channel where the photographer was introduced to the Turkish audience as a leading wildlife photographer. The program also featured the photographer's shooting methods and techniques on location in the Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve in the Republic of South Africa.

Beyaz Karanfil Sok.Cinar Apt.
5/581010 Kurucesme,
Acibadem-Istanbul-Turkey
Tel/Fax: 90 (216) 327 3524 (home)                                               
E-mail: catman@turk.net

Related other web sites:
http://www.suhaderbent.com
http://www.dogadayasam.com