What is your profession?

I’m the owner of a media company in the U.K. I do work hard in a busy schedule, and I don’t travel like a tourist always, as opposed to general perception. I can handle my business remotely; therefore, I can work and travel simultaneously.

What is your educational background?

I have graduated from Bolu – Abant Izzet Baysal University with a degree in Social Science Teaching. I dreamt about studying art and painting in an art school but competency exams were not free back then. I was broke and struggling financially, therefore, had to choose to be a Social Science Teacher. Since childhood, I have talent in painting. In high school, in a painting competition across the country, I won the best painting title from Ankara and was awarded a camera. During high school years, I also held an art exhibition, where 30 of my oil painting works were displayed.

Do you make income from Landscape photography? How?

Yes, I do. I sell licenses of my photographs to many magazines and agencies. Some individuals and firms also purchase canvas print versions of my photos. I also sell my photos from venues such as 500px.com and Smugmug.com, but a higher percentage of these sales are executed to the individuals and firms reach me from Instagram, Facebook and my personal website.

Do you offer photography workshops?

Yes. I offer paid photography workshops for photographers from every level, who desire to improve their skills in photography. As the main theme for these workshops is nature and landscape, we don’t have a fixed city or location. As an instructor I strongly believe in hands-on practice infield, therefore I organize photography-oriented tours. You can take details about these tours under “Photo Workshops” section of my website. 

Is photography your main source of income?

No, photography is not my only business. I started photography as a hobby, but then it turned to be an additional source of income for me. I earn some from photo sales and workshops, but it is not enough solely, it just contributes to my main income.

Can I make a living from photography? Is it the right profession for me?

This depends on many factors such as you're willing to work, your talent, your dedication. Yes, there are many photographers out there, making a living from this profession. Your income will also depend on what area you are specialized in. If you work with commercial brands, your income may be higher than photographers who work for magazines or websites. Wedding or portrait photography also can be core businesses. Some specializations of photography may require you to be more active in the field than others. I believe the most important is to strive and excel in the field you work.

How did you start photography?

I started to get interested in photography during university years. Due to my busy schedule, I couldn’t find time for painting and photography turned out to be a hobby to trench my desire for art. I purchased an entry-level camera in 2011 and started taking photos of the rich nature of Bolu in my free time. 2 years after I graduated from university, I bought my first DSLR. As I get more stable financially, I started travelling across the country and took nature/landscape photos. I have been taking photos for 9 years and I excel in photography day by day. I travel to foreign countries or within Turkey, to the places that attract me and take landscape photos.

What do I need to get started in photography?

First of all make up your mind, in which field of photography you want to develop yourself. Next step is to acquire a camera and related equipment. Practice and improve your skills. As you practice more, you will find out in which field you would like to progress. Don’t consider photography as a hobby only, consider business aspects of it. Explore, observe, watch tutorials, read, etc. Be honest and reliable. Work hard.

Any recommendations for beginners?

My recommendation for beginners is to practice a lot. Get to know your camera inside out. Don’t shoot in automatic mode. Understand the theory behind, get out of automatic mode. If you cannot figure out yourself, take classes from a professional or be an intern. Develop your own style. It is very important to get recognized by a style. In today’s world, anyone who grabs a camera can be a photographer potentially, therefore it is critical to be a distinguished one. For me, the best compliment is that when someone sees a photo, he would straight away recognize my style and say this is the work of Cuma Cevik.

What is your camera and gear?

I use high-end Sony mirrorless cameras at work. I used to own Canon but I switched to mirrorless Sony as I travel often. It is lighter and more ideal for astrophotography. Most of my photos and videos are shot with A7-3. This camera shows fantastic performance for videography as well as astrophotography, thanks to high ISO sensitivity. If I need high resolution, I use Sony A7R-2 (42,4 Megapixel). Here is the full list:

Camera: Sony A7 III, Sony A7 R II and GoPro Hero 7 Black 

Lenses:  Sony16-35mm f4 / Sony 24-70mm f4 / Sony 70-200mm f4

Tripod: -Manfrotto Befree GT Carbon Alpha

Drone: DJI Mavic 2 Pro

Filters: NiSi V5 PRO 100mm filter set, Nisi Drone Filters, Nisi Phone Filters

Which camera do you recommend for absolute beginners?

If we consider cost/value, I would recommend Sony A6400, A6500, A6600. These are entry-level cameras but still equipped with the latest technology. This Sony series are also known to be very capable for videography. Depending on your work scope, obtain related lenses in your budget. If you intend to take portrait and wedding photos, prime lenses will be more suitable. If you will be taking landscape photos, wide-angle and telephoto lenses are the ones you should acquire. There are many brands out there with different characteristics. You should investigate and decide your self which one to buy.

Which photo editing software do you use? What is your recommendation?

I shoot my photos in RAW format. I never shot JPEG. RAW is a file format that captures all image data recorded by the sensor when you take a photo... Because no information is compressed with RAW you're able to produce higher quality images, as well as correct problem images that would be unrecoverable if shot in the JPEG format.

For editing, I use Adobe Lightroom Classic CC, Adobe Photoshop CC and Skylum Luminar 4. Adobe and Skylum has the most capable software suites, that’s why I prefer these ones. I use Adobe Lightroom Classic CC for initial retouching, then move to Adobe Photoshop CC + Skylum Luminar 4 for more advanced editing.

For those who wonder how I take my photos and edit them, I offer photography tours, workshops and presentations. If you subscribe to my Youtube Channel, email list or Instagram, you can be notified about these organizations.

How many countries have you visited?

The first foreign country I visited was Indonesia in 2015, Bali Island. People tend to choose a more nearby country as first experience however, I had a friend who had been in Bali 3-4 times before and he accompanied me during this trip. He knew all the photography locations in the region. Afterwards, I explored European countries. I have visited remote and challenging countries such as Faroe Islands, Greenland, Patagonia, Northern Vietnam etc which are not well known and explored. I have been in more than 40 countries so far and some of them I have travelled to more than once, to photograph in different seasons of the year.

What are your favourite countries for photography?

My answer will be very subjective as this depends on everyone’s own taste. My criteria for rating are nature, how socially advance this country is and culture. Based on all that, I would put Switzerland on top of the list, comprising Alp mountains, fascinating nature and leading-edge cultural level.

Secondly, a Mediterranean country, with a similar climate to Turkey, fantastic beaches by the sea at south, green lands further into the land and mountains at north, the Dolomites, offering majestic views all year around.

Thirdly, I would choose Iceland with active volcanic mountains, infinitely many waterfalls, lands with all shades of green and northern lights.

Is there any country you haven’t been in yet? :)

There are 206 countries in the world, approximately and I have visited only around 40 :) It means I have quite a way to go. My objective is to visit them all. 

Can’t you find the answer to your question? Send Direct Message on Instagram @cumacevikphoto