Travel as Inspiration One of the strongest elements of Photographer and Content Creator Helın Bereket’s work is the range of images she creates – varying in the subject while connected by her signature fresh and bold, yet calm and understated, style. Her versatility as an artist is visible in what appears to be effortless ease for shifting between capturing people, places and nature with the same unwavering, unique expertise. Moving through a colour scheme of bold reds, greens and yellows to pastel pinks and more subdued beige tones, Helın does not restrict her style to one colour palette either. Helın’s background in architecture is visible in a lot of her work as she has a striking ability to capture and present a beautiful array of buildings from varying angles. Here, we discover more about her limitless imagination. THE PLUS: Can you tell us a bit about how you got into photography and content creation? How does your background in architecture influence your work? Helın Bereket: I got into photography by chance, when I received my first camera as a gift in 2013. It was a very simple compact camera, which I always took with me on my travels. Over time, photography has become more and more a part of my everyday life – today, it’s my job. It wasn’t planned, it just evolved that way. Influenced by my architectural background, my subjects reflect my interests and artistic sensibilities. Simple and minimalist compositions, geometric shapes, colours and contrasts are elements that often pop up in my work, either separately or together. But I don’t set any limits for myself. My photography is my way of expression and adapts to my life, and I find inspiration everywhere. TP: Did moving from Istanbul to Berlin have a big influence on your style? HB: Not directly. But studying art in a city where art is appreciated changed my way of thinking and creating. Also, moving to Berlin and getting a German passport made it easier to travel around the world. But I’m still the same person. TP: Do you research locations before you go out taking pictures, or are you more spontaneous? HB: My works are a mixture of things that are on my bucket list, things that I create and things that I stumble upon. The process depends on why I take the picture. If it’s a paid collaboration, I wait and research until I get this one idea. Sometimes it takes just one day, sometimes weeks. Once I have the idea, I get materials, shoot and edit. When I travel, I don’t plan exactly what I will shoot. I just go to the location, spend time there, look for perspectives and at some point, I take out my camera and shoot. I take a lot of spontaneous photos – if I see something interesting, I simply stop and shoot it. TP: Which programmes do you like to work with for digital pieces? HB: I mostly edit with Lightroom & Photoshop and Premiere when it comes to videos. When I need to edit something quickly I use Lightroom mobile and Rush for videos. TP: What is the role of digital editing in photography for you? HB: It’s 50% of the total work. Once I have the shot/the idea and I know what exactly I want (which is the hardest part), I can implement it very quickly using the appropriate digital tools. In 2021, the possibilities are simply endless. There is the right tool for every desire, which makes things much easier than before. TP: What has been your favourite collaboration in your career so far? HB: My favourite collaborations are those which include traveling. Even if it’s sometimes really exhausting to travel somewhere for a short time to work, I can’t complain. I always enjoy being “somewhere else”. TP: What artists are you inspired by today? HB: There are quite a few people and things that inspire me. Travel, architecture, landscapes, art, design, music, but—most of all—my own life. Even as a child, I loved to observe everything around me—and I still do. Every place, every moment I experience, all experiences trigger thoughts that I then express in my work. TP: Tips for people who want to pursue a new journey in digital content creation? HB: I think there are 3 important things:1. Be yourself, don’t imitate others.2. Do what you love and love what you do and get your motivation from this love.3. It’s a long way. Don’t quit.
