Meet Hero of the Week Gül Işık

Welcome to Hero of the Week, an ongoing series sharing stories from some of the best photographers in the Pexels community.

This week we take a look at the beautiful Istanbul street photography of Gül Işık, kindergarten teacher and technology worker. She’s been taking photos for three years.

“After moving to Eyüp, which is one of the central districts of Istanbul, I started to travel a lot. The streets inspired me,” Gül says. “I love street photos.” Architectural details and busy streets are the focus of her photography, with people and animals often adding motion to the shots. Whether she’s capturing a cityscape at sunset or quiet houses in the countryside, Gül’s photos always stand out for their rich colors.

She hopes to make a career out of photography in the future, and it’s easy to see her vibrant imagery lending itself to lifestyle or commercial photography. “I don’t see myself as very talented right now,” Gül says. “I would like to have an archive of great photos in the future.”

Gül’s main tip for other photographers is to shoot often—and remember that creating a great image depends on more than editing skills. “Taking pictures is as important as editing.”

Follow Gül on Pexels and on Instagram at @ekrulila.

Pexels Heroes is our invite-only community of the top photographers on Pexels. Find out more and apply to join here.