"Ara Güler is one of those who have succeeded in penetrating the secret of the people and culture of Anatolia and the richness and variety of its natural setting. Throughout the whole of his life he has devoted himself to the wealth of the Anatolian heritage. For a full fifty years the Anatolian soil, and that includes Thrace and Istanbul, has never slackened its hold on Ara Güler, nor has Ara Güler ever slackened his hold on the soil of Anatolia. They are passionately attached, the one to the other. They will remain faithful to each other to the very end.
I know Ara very well. We have a warm and intimate relationship. Unfortunately, we have never actually worked together. Ara's adventure with Anatolia has lasted for fifty years. Mine has lasted for only thirty-nine of which a large part has been spent in the Toros, in Çukurova and in Uzunyayla behind the Toros.
For myself, I spent only twelve years roaming Anatolia as a journalist. Ara spent a full fifty years. Ara has been in intimate contact with the Anatolian people from seven to seventy. His job was to photograph these people. Mine was to write about them. Perhaps I was less fortunate or persistent than Ara, but I never succeeded in experiencing the joy of satisfying my passion for one of the richest regions in the whole world. I could never compete with Ara in his appreciation of the unique skills of its people or in penetrating to the root of its history and natural setting.
Ara's creativity gave us a new, fascinating world that enriched our humanity.
Photography is an art. Without true creativity one can never penetrate the mystery or truth of either mankind or nature. Ara is one of the greatest creators of our time. Photography is a dangerous art, and it is only through the indefatigable and persistent efforts of great, creative artists that it has been transformed into an art. In the years since its first invention photography has produced very few great artists. It is always easier for the cinema to achieve the status of art than for photography."
"Ara Güler is one of those who have succeeded in penetrating the secret of the people and culture of Anatolia and the richness and variety of its natural setting. Throughout the whole of his life he has devoted himself to the wealth of the Anatolian heritage. For a full fifty years the Anatolian soil, and that includes Thrace and Istanbul, has never slackened its hold on Ara Güler, nor has Ara Güler ever slackened his hold on the soil of Anatolia. They are passionately attached, the one to the other. They will remain faithful to each other to the very end.
I know Ara very well. We have a warm and intimate relationship. Unfortunately, we have never actually worked together. Ara's adventure with Anatolia has lasted for fifty years. Mine has lasted for only thirty-nine of which a large part has been spent in the Toros, in Çukurova and in Uzunyayla behind the Toros.
For myself, I spent only twelve years roaming Anatolia as a journalist. Ara spent a full fifty years. Ara has been in intimate contact with the Anatolian people from seven to seventy. His job was to photograph these people. Mine was to write about them. Perhaps I was less fortunate or persistent than Ara, but I never succeeded in experiencing the joy of satisfying my passion for one of the richest regions in the whole world. I could never compete with Ara in his appreciation of the unique skills of its people or in penetrating to the root of its history and natural setting.
Ara's creativity gave us a new, fascinating world that enriched our humanity.
Photography is an art. Without true creativity one can never penetrate the mystery or truth of either mankind or nature. Ara is one of the greatest creators of our time. Photography is a dangerous art, and it is only through the indefatigable and persistent efforts of great, creative artists that it has been transformed into an art. In the years since its first invention photography has produced very few great artists. It is always easier for the cinema to achieve the status of art than for photography."