F. Dilek Yurdakul
F. Dilek Yurdakul was born in Çanakkale. After completing her primary and secondary education in this city, she entered Gazi University, Faculty of Law in Ankara Turkey. When she graduated, she started her master's degree in Labor and Social Security Law at the same university. She is still a lawyer in a company in Ankara. She also lectures in photography classes at universities in Ankara.
For 7 years she has been spending most of her time on photography. She likes taking travel, street, and documentary photos. She likes telling stories of people she meets during her travels as well as cities with her photos. For 6 years she has been working on social responsibility projects and trying to photograph socially important issues.
As a woman photographer, lawyer, and mother from Turkey, she made many speeches at Universities, Photograph Associations, and as a TEDx Speaker, she touched on the significance of being a woman and saying yes to change. She also takes part in social awareness projects.
Her biggest aim is to increase social awareness and recognition of her stories and continue inspiring young women in her country.
She joined many international and national exhibitions and won over 200 awards. She is still a contributor photographer for National Geographic YS and National Geographic Turkey.
Exhibitions & Festivals
2018- "Clean Water Here" Global Photography Exhibition with UNESCO and UN / Paris-FRANCE
2018 - Travel Photographer Society Exhibition / South Australia and Kuala Lumpur-MALAYSIA
2018 - Best Of Show Exhibition / New York-USA, Bangkok-THAILAND, Los Angeles-USA
2019 - Woman Street Photographers Exhibition / New York-USA
2019- 2020 Annual PX3 & State of the World Exhibition / Paris-FRANCE
2020 - Treviso Photographic Festival / ITALY
2020 - Best Of Show Exhibition / Castilla y Leon-SPAIN
2021 - Xposure Photography Festival / UAE
2021- Mediterranean House Of Photography Julia Margaret Cameron Exhibition / SPAIN
2021- Exhibition At The Royal Photographic Society / UK
2021 - International Exhibition Of 5 In Shirin Art Gallery As A Special Guest Artist / Tehran-IRAN
2021 - The State Of World Exhibition / Paris-FRANCE
2021 - SWPA Exhibition At Galerie JOSEPH / Paris-FRANCE
2021 - SWPA Exhibition Willy-Brandt-Haus / Berlin-GERMANY
2021 - Fotofestival Lenzburg / Lenzburg-SWITZERLAND
2021 - WOMEN STREET PHOTOGRAPHERS Exhibition At The National Museum Of Anthropology / Villahermosa Tabasco-MEXICO
2022 - The ‘Changing Asia - New Normal’ photography Exhibition / BANGKOK, HONG KONG, and CHINA
And also many competition exhibitions all around the world.
NFT Exhibitions
2022- London NFT Exhibition
2022- New York NFT Exhibition
2022- Banglore NFT Exhibition
2022- Miami ArtBasel NFT Exhibition
Jury Memberships
2019- Jury Member of the National Photography Contest of Ministry of Family and Social Services / TURKEY
2021- Jury Member of National Geographic UK Travel Photo Competition
2021- Jury Member of TDM Magazine International Photography Contest
(with Vineet VOHRA)
2021- Jury Member of KAAF International Photography Contest
(with Gulnara SAMOILOVA)
2021- Jury Member of National Geographic Turkey Photography Contest
2021- Jury Member of International Romania Now Photography Contest
2021- Jury Member of Hacı Bayram Veli University National Photography Contest
2022- Jury Member Of Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB)
2022- Jury Member of Borcka Municipality National Photography Contest
2022- Jury Member Of Karabük University National Photography Contest
2022- Jury Member of Cankaya University National Photography Contest
2022- Jury Member Of 7th 35 Awards International Photography Contest
2022- Jury Member of the KAAF International Photography Contest
2022- Jury Member of State Photo Contest
2023- Jury Member of Eyeshot Open Call International Photo Contest ( with Trent Parke, Emin Ozmen, etc)
And also many other jury memberships in many international and national photography competitions.
Some of Grants & Awards
2017 - National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Winner
2017 - Sony Word Photography Awards, Commended Photographer and
2nd Place in National Category
2018 - Travel Photographer Society, Black and White Category Winner
2018 - IPA Event Photographer of Year
2018 - IPA 1st Winner Place Traditions and Culture
2018 - IPA Honorable Mention People, Other
2018 - IPA Honorable Mention Special, Travel/Tourism
2019 - SIPA "Documentary & Photojournalism" Honorable Mention
2019 - SIPA 3rd place Wînner in Journeys and Travel
2020 - MIFA Sub Category Winner
2020 - MIFA 2nd Place Winner in Advertising Category
2020 - Sony Word Photography Awards National Category Winner
2020 - 35 Awards Best Covid Photo Award Winner
2020 - 35 Awards Best Covid Photographer Award Winner
2020 - RISE International Documentary Photographer of the Year Winner
2020- Monovision Travel Photo of the Year
2020- Monovision 3rd place in Street Photography
2020- Chromatic Awards 1st Place Winner in Photojournalism
2020 - IPA Deeper Perspective Photographer of the Year Winner
2020 - IPA 1st Place Winner in Deeper Perspective
2020 - IPA 1st Place Winner in Editorial/Press
2020 - IPA 2nd Place Winner in Editorial /Press
2020 - 2021 TAPSA Winner
2020 - IPA DISCOVERY of the YEAR Winner
2020 - 6th 35 Awards
Best Reportage Photographer Of The Year
2021 - Sony Word Photography Awards Open Competition
Category Winner
2021 - Sony Word Photography Awards Alfa Female Award Nominee
2021- 16th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards
1st Place in The Documentary & Reportage Category
2021- HIPA Humanity-Tenth Season 2020-2021 Portfolio (Story Telling) 3rd Place Winner
2022 - New York Photography Awards Category Winner
2022 - New York Photography Awards Gold Medal Winner (in two different categories)
2023 - 35 Awards Best Of Contest Winner
2023 - IPA Jury Top5 Selection
2023 - TPOTY Travel Photographer Of The Year Winner (in five different categories)