/ 2026 / Portraiture / Self-Portrait

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Gülcan Turhan, Netherlands
• Date of Photograph
  March 2020
• Instagram
  @gulcan_turhan_photography

Facing is a visual exploration I made during a period of self-searching later in life. Heightened awareness brought old patterns and hidden parts of the self into view, asking to be confronted. In the private space of the bathroom, the images trace a quiet psychological shift from questioning to presence and acceptation.

Gülcan Turhan is an Amsterdam-based photographer and IT professional. Born and educated in Ankara, she has been living in Amsterdam since 1987, where long-term observation of urban life has shaped her photographic practice. Deeply dedicated to photography, she approaches the medium as a way to engage with the world and to connect with people through shared, everyday experiences. Her work is rooted in street photography and guided by a strong interest in social life and documentary storytelling, focusing on moments that reveal human connection and broader societal dynamics.

Awards - PX3 Shortlisted in State of the World 2025
- World Street Photography 2025, Honorable Mention
- Street Photography Gallery 2025, Top 30 Blue Star Prize
- Street Photography France - Editor's Pick in Passages - 2026

- Street Photography Gallery 2026 Exhibition - Jamini Roy Gallery, ICCR, Kolkata

Studied photography at the Amsterdam Foto Academy, completing the first year of the program, and further developed her practice through numerous workshops organized by Magnum Learn and Venice International Photo Festival led by internationally recognized photographers.