Her camera and her smile. That’s what comes to my mind first about Selda Baskaya, a dearest friend, a great fashion/portrait photographer and much more.
Here’s some more about her – in her own words..
Selda Baskaya in 3 words?
Strong believer and mildly sweet. Let’s agree on 4 words.
Your style? What do you enjoy photographing the most?
Tough to explain my style. I simply enjoy photographing anything easthetic. By that, I don’t mean ‘ugliness’. I enjoy fitting people in specific scenes constructed in my mind.
A moment you photographed and you cannot forget?
By chance, I was passing by in a cab and saw a crowd standing in front of a building. They were staring at the body of a 17 year old boy who jumped off the 13th floor of that building. Since then, I try not to get too close to such crowds.
Something/somebody that inspires you?
Before starting my career, I was a Guy Bourdin fan – and I still am. My passion rooted from the stories engraved in his photographs. I never get enough of his works. In general, rather than being inspired, I admire some people.
Who would you like to photograph?
Gaspard Ulliel, Liv Tyler, Johnny Depp, Zaha Hadid – yes I am a big fan, Élodie Bouchez, Yılmaz Güney… I have a lot of names on this list.
How about.. who would you like to be photographed by?
Brigitte Lacombe. She is something else.
You’re going to have dinner with a famous person. Who would that be if you were to choose?
Hugh Laurie – he’s a character. Dinner with him would be pretty interesting.
Anything you don’t like about yourself?
Sometimes – due to my adrenaline hunger I assume – I make decisions way too suddenly, which puts me through some risk. I sacrifice too much sometimes – which presses my limits. But then comes a moment and I say ‘OK stop, you shouldn’t do this’ and it passes. One more thing – I can literally cut off something from my life – whether it’s a person or some kind of an emotion. I can stop it immediately.
It’s 11pm on a Friday night – where would we find you?
There is no specific place I could tell – this would depend on by whom and with which intention I am called.
Music is?
My husband that fills in my blanks.. Always with me, sharing both the good and the bad – sharing each moment with me.
Cinema is?
Something I do at home a couple of days each week. I have a diverse movie collection – mostly thriller and scary movies. I enjoy watching these movies yet then I don’t feel like staying home alone. Don’t know why.. maybe I like fear itself?
I hate asking someone his/her favorite movie – because i don’t have one either. But name me a movie you can watch over and over and still enjoy it like the first time you’ve seen it.
Reservoir Dogs would probably be first to tell. 28 Days and Weeks series, Star Wars, Goodbye Lenin.. and all superhero movies by Marvel. Need I say more?
How about mm.. future projects?
A project I’ve been working on for the past 2 years.. It’s a movie script! That’s all I focus on these days.
