Teaching & Lectures
Masterclasses, invited talks, and professional mentorship
Teaching has been a continuous part of the practice — not as a separate career, but as an extension of the same questions that drive the photographic work. Lectures and seminars have been delivered at universities, cultural institutions, and photography organisations across Turkey, Germany, Cyprus, and online internationally. A chronological selection of past events is included further down the page.
A new masterclass programme — focused on figure photography, light-driven practice, and long-form series development — is currently being prepared for launch. Sessions will be offered in limited numbers and will address an audience of practicing photographers and advanced students with prior working foundation.
Upcoming Masterclass Formats
The Architecture of the Body
A masterclass on figure photography as sculptural practice. Sessions cover hard-light setup, scale distortion through framing, tonal discipline in black and white, and the slow work of building a long-term project around a single sustained question. For photographers with prior figure work experience. Small group format.
Light as Medium
A technical and conceptual session on light-driven photographic practice — continuous light, ultraviolet pigments, long exposure, and in-camera optical intervention. Participants work with studio setups that produce distinctive visual outcomes not achievable through post-production. Includes live demonstration and individual feedback.
Building a Photographic Series
A one-to-one mentorship format for photographers developing a personal long-form series. Covers conceptual scaffolding, visual consistency across time, editing and sequencing, and preparing work for exhibition or publication. Conducted in a limited number of sessions by application.
Launch dates and application details will be announced through direct correspondence. To register interest in any of the above formats, please write to contact@meryemaydin.co.
Teaching & Events
From lectures, seminars, and public presentations.
Lectures & Seminars
Invited lectures and seminars on figure photography, portrait construction, light-driven practice, and the discipline of building long-form photographic series. Sessions are adapted to the audience and context, ranging from undergraduate university seminars to public cultural institution talks and professional education programmes. Delivered in English or Turkish.
Selected lecture topics include:
- Beyond the Face: Constructing Portraits — on portraiture as more than likeness, and how lighting, composition, and direction shape psychological and visual meaning
- Portrait Techniques in Natural Light — on working with available light as the primary compositional element
- Studio Lighting for the Figure — on hard light, continuous light, and the sculptural shaping of the body
- The Nude After the Filter — on figure photography in an era of AI-generated bodies and algorithmic consumption
- Building a Fine Art Series — on the discipline of long-term projects and the editing practices that sustain them
- In-Camera Practice — on physical intervention during the shoot as an alternative to post-production effects
Selected Chronology
A partial record of past talks, seminars, and invited lectures at universities, cultural institutions, and photography organisations.
Ongoing
- 2018–2026 - Посол Sony Europe Imaging — invited speaker and educator across European imaging industry events and platforms
2024
- May 2024 - Images from the Culinary, Başkent University, Istanbul
2023
- Dec 2023 - Unveiling the Art of Mobile Photography, Canva Creative Talks (online)
- Dec 2023 - Light Techniques in Fashion Photography, Gelişim University, Istanbul
- Dec 2023 - Studio Photography, Ege University, İzmir
- Dec 2023 — Interview on Portrait Photography, Photography Association, İzmir
- Apr 2023 - Practical Portrait Shooting, Boğaziçi University (BUFOK), Istanbul
2022
- Apr 2022 - Studio Lighting Seminar, İbn Haldun University, Istanbul
2021
- Nov 2021 - Portrait Techniques in Natural Light, Boğaziçi University (BUFOK), Istanbul
2019
- Oct 2019 — Invited artist talk, Türkische Kulturtage, Abraham-Gumbel-Saal, Heilbronn, Germany
- May 2019 - Beyond the Face: Constructing Portraits, Akbank Sanat, Istanbul
- May 2019 — Mobile Photography Workshop, Sabancı University, Istanbul
2018
- Apr 2018 - Communication Techniques in Portrait, 11th Istanbul Photography Meetings
2016
- Mar 2016 — Interview on Portrait Photography, Turkish Photography Association, Cyprus
2015
- Apr 2015 - Creative Portrait Photography, 8th Istanbul Photography Meetings
- Feb 2015 - Failure Summit, Çukurova University, Adana
2008
- Apr 2008 — Talk & Presentation, “Undocumented” Photography Days, Istanbul
Institutional Affiliations & Credentials
- Посол Sony Europe Imaging (2018–2026)
- Member, German Portrait Photography Society (BPP)
- Holder, International Artist Card, German International Fine Arts Society (IGBK)
- Advisory Board Member, Foton Association, Turkey
Application & Invitation
Masterclass participation is by application. Current and upcoming session dates are shared through direct correspondence. Please write briefly about your current practice, prior figure work experience, and which session you are interested in.
Lecture and seminar invitations from universities, galleries, festivals, cultural institutions, and photography organisations are welcomed. Sessions can be delivered in English or Turkish, and are adapted to the audience and the level of technical depth required. Please include event context, approximate date range, and expected audience.
All correspondence: contact@meryemaydin.co