F. Dilek Yurdakul is an internationally recognized documentary photographer and lawyer based in Ankara, Türkiye. She graduated from GU Faculty of Law and pursued graduate studies in Labor and Social Security Law.
Working independently as a visual storyteller, she focuses on social and environmental issues, human rights, and the human experiences behind the challenges facing our world. Her documentary work explores stories that deserve greater public attention, particularly those involving inequality, vulnerability, resilience, and the complex relationships between individuals, society, and the environment. Through her photography, she seeks to bring overlooked realities into view and encourage a deeper understanding of the people and circumstances she documents.
Her photographic approach combines documentary integrity with a distinctive visual language shaped by light, composition, and layered storytelling. Alongside her documentary practice, she works in street, travel, and aerial photography. Her background in law informs her sensitivity to questions of justice, inequality, and human dignity, while her photography is guided by a commitment to ethical storytelling and meaningful engagement with the people she documents.
Yurdakul's work has received numerous international awards and distinctions and has been exhibited and published worldwide.
She is a contributor photographer to National Geographic Your Shot and National Geographic Türkiye. She has taught photography at universities, served as a jury member for national and international photography competitions, and spoken at photography festivals, universities, and TEDx events.
At the heart of her practice is the belief that photography can move beyond witnessing, creating space for recognition, empathy, dialogue, and change.
Some of the Grants & Awards
2017 - NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Travel Photographer of the Year Winner
2017 - SONY World Photography Awards, National Category Winner
2018 - Travel Photographer Society, Black and White Category Winner
2018 - IPA Event Photographer of the Year
2018 - IPA 1st Winner Place Traditions and Culture
2019 - SIENA International Photography Awards 3rd place Winner in Journeys and Travel
2019 - SIENA International Photography Awards Commended in Documentary & Photojournalism
2020 - SONY World Photography Awards National Category Winner
2020 - 35 Awards Best Covid Photo Award Winner
2020 - 35 Awards Best Covid Photographer Award Winner
2020 - RISE Documentary Photographer of the Year Winner
2020- Monovision Travel Photo of the Year
2020- Monovision 3rd place Winner 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 XPOSURE TAPSA Winner
2020 - IPA DISCOVERY of the Year Winner
2020 - 35 Awards Best Reportage Photographer Of The Year
2021 - SONY World Photography Awards Open Competition Winner
2021 - SONY World Photography Awards Alfa Female Award Nominee
2021- 16th Julia Margaret Cameron Awards 1st Place in The Documentary & Reportage Category
2021- HIPA Humanity-Tenth Season Portfolio Story Telling 3rd Place Winner
2021 - SIENA International Photography Awards Highly Commended + Commended
2022 - New York Photography Awards Category Winner (In two different categories)
2023 - 35 Awards Best Of Contest Winner
2023 - IPA Jury Top5 Selection
2023- ReFocus Awards Silver
2023 - SIENA International Photography Awards Commended
2023 - ASMP American Society of Media Photographers Grand Prize Winner
2023 - TPOTY Travel Photographer Of The Year Winner (in five different categories)
2025 - XPOSURE Global Focus Project Best Asian Women Photographer
2026 - TPOTY Travel Photographer Of The Year Special Mention
2026- 15. Leica Street Photography Finalist
2026 - 11th SkyPixel Annual Photo & Video Contest Winner
2026 - SIENA International Photography Awards 1st Place Winner
2026- VI Barcelona International Photography Award / Human Rights & Global Justice Finalist
Some of the 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 - WSP Exhibition / New York-USA
2019- 2020 Annual PX3 & State of the World Exhibition / Paris-FRANCE
2020 - Treviso Photographic Festival / ITALY
2021 - XPOSURE Photography Festival / UAE
2021- Mediterranean House Of Photography Julia Margaret Cameron Exhibition / SPAIN
2021- Exhibition At The Royal Photographic Society / London, 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 - WSP Exhibition, The Regional Museum of Anthropology /
Villahermosa ,Mexico
2022 - The ‘Changing Asia - New Normal’ photography Exhibition / BANGKOK, HONG KONG, and CHINA
2024- Women By Women Photography Exhibition
Shattering refugee stereotypes and narratives in OXO Art Gallery, London-UK
2025 - XPOSURE Photography Festival / UAE
2025 - Treviso Photographic Festival / ITALY
2025 - Women Of The Soil
Highlights the problems faced by Seasonal Agricultural Workers in accessing fresh water/ Ankara, Türkiye
2026 - Leica Gallery Street Photography Exhibition /Warsaw, Poland
2026 - Leica Gallery Street Photography Exhibition / Vienna, Austria
2026 - WSP Exhibition / New York, USA
2026 - WSP Exhibition / Spain
2026- DOK Photojournalism Festival / Norway
"They Feed Us Yet Thirst" photo project
2026- OFF Foto Festival / Italy
"They Feed Us Yet Thirst" photo project
NFT Exhibitions
2022- London NFT Exhibition
2022- New York NFT Exhibition
2022- Bangalore NFT Exhibition
2022- Miami ArtBasel NFT Exhibition
Some Of the Jury Memberships
2019- National Photography Contest of the Ministry of Family and Social Services / TURKEY
2021- National Geographic UK Travel Photo Competition
2021- TDM Magazine International Photography Contest (with Vineet VOHRA)
2021- KAAF International Photography Contest (with Gulnara SAMOILOVA)
2021- National Geographic Turkey Photography Contest
2021- International Romania Now Photography Contest
2021- Hacı Bayram Veli University National Photography Contest
2022- The Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities Photo Contest (YTB)
2022- Borcka Municipality National Photography Contest
2022- Karabük University National Photography Contest
2022- Cankaya University National Photography Contest
2022- 7th 35 Awards International Photography Contest
2022- KAAF International Photography Contest
2022- State Photo Contest
2023- Eyeshot Open Call International Photo Contest (with Trent Parke, Emin Ozmen, etc)
2025-Jury Member of Greenstorm Foundation International Photography Awards
2026-Jury Member of Greenstorm Foundation International Photography Awards