Ayse Yorgancilar

“I will photograph the traditional flavors our heritage left to us, and their place in culture, faith, and life. My intent is to document not only the food, but the rituals around it, to capture the authenticity of Anatolian cuisine and honor our people.”

Meet Ayse

Ayse Yorgancilar (she/her) is a photographer based in Istanbul. She enjoys photographing her community, to create a portrait of the landscape, culture, and religion. Ayse loves to travel, and a recent travel agency project with a friend inspired her to broaden her artistic focus. As she explored the Anatolia region, she had a unique opportunity to meet new people who opened up their homes, shared meals, and experience local culture.

Today, documenting Anatolian culture has become Ayse’s primary artistic and personal focus. This community is underinvested, and Ayse considers it her duty to showcase their traditions and cuisine. Inspired by the Taste of Heritage creative brief for her Adobe Stock Artist Development Fund project, Ayse will focus on Anatolian cuisine, using it as a springboard to document the culture. “I will photograph the traditional flavors our heritage left to us, and their place in culture, faith, and life,” she says. “My intent is to document not only the food, but the rituals around it, to capture the authenticity of Anatolian cuisine and honor our people.”