14 breathtaking photos of Turkey's rainbow-colored neighborhoods
- Yener Torun is an architect-turned-photographer who takes stunning pictures of rainbow-colored buildings in Turkey.
- Torun shares his vibrant photographs to showcase a different side of the country and its cities.
- "I chose to explore some lesser-known and developing parts of [Istanbul] to create something new and fresh. These kinds of buildings aren't the first things that come to mind when you think about Turkey," Torun told Insider.
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Photographer Yener Torun is a connoisseur of color.
The Istanbul-based architect-turned-artist captures photos that show modern, vibrant neighborhoods and buildings throughout cities in Turkey. He's hoping they'll show a different side of the country, which is typically known for having historic, ornate, Ottoman-style architecture.
"These kinds of buildings aren't the first things that come to mind when you think about Turkey," Torun told Insider.
His unique style of photography has captured the hearts — and social media feeds — of people around the world.
Keep reading to see some of his most eye-catching photos.
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Photographer Yener Torun captures eye-catching shots of multicolored buildings around cities in Turkey.
When Torun shared his first photo on Instagram in 2014, he was focused on taking black-and-white photos of building exteriors. Later, he experimented with adding pops of color to parts of his photos, like windowsills and pipes featured in the facades he captured.
He said he gradually developed his unique style of photography, capturing architecture with sharp, geometric shapes and dazzling colors.
"I started studying building facades and street views more closely, and in time, I started to conceptualize more. I took a more artistic path," he said. "Ultimately, I wanted to do something real and new and fresh."
He's inspired by geometric buildings that differ from Turkey's traditional, ornate architecture.
"Instead of focusing on overused, popular themes and locations, I chose to explore some lesser-known and developing parts of the city to create something new and fresh. These kinds of buildings aren't the first things that come to mind when you think about Turkey, which is more known for its history. [Its architecture] is known for being more decorative."
With his camera in tow, Torun scours industrial districts, hotels, schools, and shopping malls — which he said often feature colorful exteriors.
Torun said location-scouting is one of the most enjoyable aspects of his photography.
"It's a really big challenge because you have to search every corner, but when I find something after a big effort, it's like finding a treasure," he said.
His architectural background helps him spot striking exteriors.
"As an architect for eight years, I'm able to locate these kinds of buildings a lot easier than it would be if I weren't an architect. But it's still a challenge. In any major city, not just in Istanbul or around Turkey, there are few buildings with these vibrant colors," he said.
He is constantly on the hunt for "hidden treasures," or captivating, colorful buildings.
"I'm usually also looking in newer parts of cities and areas that are newer developments. I also ask people because they recommend places I can visit," he said.
But stumbling upon a photo-worthy building is only half the battle.
Torun appropriately named this photograph of an apartment building in Istanbul "Rainbow Popsicle."
Once he finds a colorful exterior, he returns to the location at different hours to inspect the lighting.
"Light conditions change every time, so I visit the same place at different hours to see what things change and to utilize the [best] conditions," he said.
Despite the instantaneous nature of Instagram, where he shares his colorful finds, Torun said the key to his photography is patience.
"I'm quite patient when it comes to photography because I visit the same places several times to get the exact thing that I want," he said.
Sometimes capturing the perfect shot means returning to the spot over the course of months or a year.
"I sometimes go to a city for a week to explore, so maybe I won't be able to visit it for a year. I have to utilize where I'm at, so I take my time, I'm really patient, and sometimes that means I wait a few months or a year to get the optimal conditions," Torun said.
The photographer said he lives for the hunt of finding an eye-catching location.
"When I'm looking for a certain place, I may stumble upon another building that wasn't even in my mind — so sometimes it's luck, sometimes I get some information from other people, and sometimes I'm just walking and wandering," he said.
He added that the magical moment of capturing a striking photo at the right time is something that will never get old for him.
"It's rewarding when you find something fascinating and use or transport it into some sort of art," he said. "It's really a rewarding process for me."
His advice for budding photographers is to return to a location more than once.
"Revisit the places. It might look different with a second visit. Your view of it might change," Torun said.
"It has always been unbelievable that you can do something from a little corner of the world, and some people follow you for your posts on the internet," Torun said.
The photographer has nearly 160,000 followers on Instagram and has had his work featured in art shows and galleries around the world.
"[Having my photos showcased] like this wouldn't have been possible 20 years ago. I'm really grateful to my followers and to Instagram because it provides people like me a platform to make their voices heard," he said.
Torun mainly photographs locations in Turkey, but he'll be snapping away in other cities around the world for upcoming projects.
Find more of the vibrant photos on Torun's website and Instagram.
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