From Arabic أَلِف (ʾalif, “alif, the first letter of the Arabic alphabet”), itself cognate with Ancient Greek ἄλφα (álpha).
"I can feel the rhythms of nature and people in my heart, that’s the reason I’ve been living like a nomad to find a new rhythm that needed a voice to bloom."
Originally from Istanbul Turkey, Elif Koyutürk captures the aesthetics of invisible feelings that make us look within, leveraging the mediums of film, painting, and photography. Motivated to capture fading cultures and indigenous practices, she travels the globe in search of the rawest and authentic humanity a population has to offer.
Connecting with people of all walks of life, Elif seeks those on the fringes, pushing the boundaries of their honest life’s mission, those who seek and find their own wild calling. Growing up in the mountains of Ancient Mesopotamia she has a direct connection with Mother Nature. Awed by the abundance and mystery of nature and the soil from which it stems, Elif’s natural studies and artworks have a symmetrical harmony with her subject’s pure presentation, capturing what nature intended.
She shares this moving imagery helping her viewers to find our own North Stars and the courage to break the molds we’ve confined ourselves within.
As both documentary filmmaker and photography artist, she excels in threading foreign concepts together with golden lines, and from there, an understanding is birthed. Her eye sees the work for what could be and what should be and is not dissuaded by merely what is. She might tell a story with one image, or an entire cultural underpinning in a short film.
Overlaying this talent is an aesthetic gift of composition, color, perspective, and light that strikes her viewers without preamble or apology. Her approach to life and her work are raw and direct. Each project is a personal challenge and pursuit. She does not work for applause or accolades, but simply to quench the urge to communicate these stories of pure and just hearts; raw and authentic nature.
As a humanitarian, Elif has spent time supporting refugees in war-torn Syria, children in impoverished Turkish villages, and worked with inner-city and under-resourced youth in the United States. She recently developed a giveback program, Art for Humanity, where the sales of limited edition prints provide much-needed clothing for the children of Eastern Turkey.
Awards, Exhibitions
In 2015, she received the title “Commended Photographer” by World Sony Photography Awards
In 2016, her photograph “Wolf” got into Travel and Leisure’s “100 Stunning Photos of the World” list.
In 2016, The Austrian Consulate hosted her first solo film and photo exhibition “Eternity of Nature and Soul”. The exhibition became a focused cultural point for Austrian and Turkish artists.
In 2017, The Istanbul Museum of Photography hosted her one-year solo exhibition. This show was a mixture of her works, including her series “Thunder Birds”, “ Syrian Benjamin Button” and “Eternity of Nature and Soul”.
In 2019, she won the Nature Photography Award from Blue Green Earth Foundation.
In 2020, she got selected as one of the 30 Under 30 Women Photographers by ARTPil Tokyo.
In 2021, she became Cotopaxi brand advocate with her projects supporting and speaking about human rights.
In 2022, she held a fundraising event with Puffin Drinkwear on behalf of Think Wild nonprofit, showcasing the "Bridging the Gap" film with 300+ attendees.
In 2022, her movie about nature conservation, "Bridging the Gap" became an official selection & Award Winner at Bend Film Festival / Los Angeles Independent Women Awards / Berlin International Art Film Festival / San Diego Art Film Fest (Award Winner) / Festival Internacional de Imagem de Natureza by Nat Geo Portugal, Klamath Film Festival
In 2022, her photograph "Forgotten Places" and “Land that speaks” became a finalist at Oregon Wild Photo Competition.
In 2022, “Luise” series became a part of 212 Istanbul Photography Exhibition with Mixer Gallery.
In 2023, “Nature’s Luminescence within the Human Spirit” Solo Photography Exhibition at Scale House Gallery, Oregon.
In 2024, her series “Sky Cowboy” got published and exhibited by FUJIFILM US.
