The winners of the “Loti’nin İzinden, İstanbul Yeniden” photography competition, inspired by Pierre Loti’s deep connection with Istanbul and his fascination with the city, have been announced.
Organized with the aim of rediscovering and portraying Istanbul through photography, the competition brought together photographers who explored the city’s diverse landscapes, people, everyday life, and atmosphere.
Sponsored by İFSAK, Gezginfoto, Karacasulu, Hondial Tourisme, JIT (Just in Time), and DS (Communication Without Lines), the competition awarded the First Prize to Ekrem Kalkan, the Second Prize to Feyza Karabacak, and the Third Prize to Julien Masson. The Young Photographer Award was presented to Ada Aykut.
First Prize winner Ekrem Kalkan received a trip to Paris as part of Paris Photo 2026, including a round-trip flight and three nights of accommodation.
Feyza Karabacak, who won Second Prize, was awarded a Nikon Z30 with a 16–50 mm lens, while Julien Masson, the Third Prize winner, received a Samsung Galaxy A26 5G with 256 GB of storage.
The Young Photographer Award winner, Ada Aykut, received an İFSAK Elective Photography Seminar and a Xiaomi Mi portable photo printer.
Rediscovering Loti’s Istanbul Through Photography
Inspired by Pierre Loti’s strong bond with Istanbul, the competition invited participants to look beyond the city’s well-known landmarks and capture its everyday life, people, atmosphere, and the traces it leaves in personal memory.
The jury consisted of Çağla Saraç, Art Consultant at the Ara Güler Museum – Doğuş Group; Demet Yıldız Dinçer, Curator and Head of the Photography Department at Istanbul Modern; photographer Dilan Bozyel; photographer and Comité France–Turquie member Mehmet Ömür; and Valentin Rodriguez, Cultural Attaché and Acting Director of the French Cultural Center in Istanbul.
The winning works and selected photographs are being presented as part of the “Loti’nin İzinden, İstanbul Yeniden” exhibition, which will be open to visitors from September 11 to 19, 2026.
