Biography

I currently reside in Toronto, Canada, a vibrant city whose diversity reflects my own eclectic life journey. Though my ancestry and heritage are Turkish, I was born in Svishtov, Bulgaria, a small town on the southern bank of the Danube River. The 1980s marked a transformative chapter, when political upheaval and cultural repression compelled my family to relocate to North Africa, where we lived as expatriates and refugees in Tripoli, Libya.

My lifelong passion for photography began in the unique atmosphere of Tripoli, while I was attending an international school for expat children, the oddly named “Oil Companies School” (or “OCS”). I was fortunate to have had very early access to a rigorous photographic education, including training in traditional methods. With the help of an absolutely amazing teacher, Mr. Nellist, I learned all about film photography, including camera work, darkroom techniques and essential composition skills.

Our move to Canada in the late 1980s solidified photography as an enduring pursuit, including occasional teaching stints. Academically, my journey has included prominent Canadian universities, including McGill (BA), McMaster (MA), and the University of Toronto (JD). I've earned several prestigious scholarships and grants and have authored a number of peer-reviewed academic publications. After several years practicing law, I chose to pivot towards graduate studies, prioritizing my health and personal growth.

Currently, I am also a part-time Ph.D. student in philosophy at the University of Western Ontario, where my research focuses on environmental philosophy and early-modern German philosophical thought, particularly the work of Kant and Hegel. My family—my wife and our two young children—live with me in downtown Toronto.

For more information, please visit my links page:

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