Photo Reason - A professional photography podcast

From May 1 to 7, 2026, Photo Reason Academy will host a seven-day Master's Workshop in Istanbul, Turkey, led by Turkish Magnum photographer Emin Özmen and senior photo editor Cloé Kerhoas.

Over seven days, Emin Özmen and Cloé Kerhoas will guide participants through three core modules — personal projects, photographic narrative, and editing & sequencing — for a true feast of photography. Participants will also complete a small photo project together and, at the very end, produce a zine alongside Emin Özmen.

Photo Reason Academy destination workshops are only held in cities and regions where the lead mentor has lived for a long time or has extensive creative experience, ensuring genuinely valuable guidance and support for every participant.

About Emin Özmen

"For me, there is something more important than good or bad photography. It's about the quality of your character, it's about your soul. I believe photography follows this and is already a reflection of who you are."
— Emin Özmen

Born in 1985, Emin Özmen is devoted to documenting human rights violations in his homeland of Turkey and around the world, aiming to draw attention to those who become victims of civil strife and social injustice. He studied photography at the Faculty of Fine Arts of Marmara University in Istanbul, and in 2008 earned a degree in documentary photography from the University of Art and Design in Linz, Austria.

In 2011 he covered the famine in East Africa, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the economic protests in Greece; the following year he began his continuing coverage of the Syrian civil war and the ISIS crisis in Iraq, later working in South Sudan, Niger, Nigeria, Venezuela, Azerbaijan, Iraq and Turkey. His work has appeared in Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, Le Monde, Paris Match and Newsweek, and he has received two World Press Photo Awards as well as the Public Jury Photo Prize of the Bayeux-Calvados Awards for war correspondents; he also served on the juries of the 2016 and 2018 World Press Photo Multimedia Contests.

Emin Özmen became a nominee member of Magnum Photos in 2017 and a full member in 2022.

©Emin Özmen, Istanbul

Assistant & Translator

Photo Reason partner Chaoqun Pan will serve as the workshop's assistant and translator, exploring Istanbul alongside participants and supporting them throughout.

Chaoqun Pan

Photographer and curator, partner of the photography podcast brand Photo Reason
Graduate of the Magnum Photos creative documentary and photojournalism program in Paris
The first photographer signed by ZEISS in China
Guest lecturer in photographic art and personal projects at the French art schools I'ECV and École EAC
Photo book "mind the gap" in preparation; represented by The Muisca Gallery in the Marais, Paris

Workshop Structure

For centuries, Istanbul has drawn and inspired artists and writers with its singular character. This workshop is led by Emin Özmen, a long-time resident of the city, together with senior photo editor Cloé Kerhoas: over one week, you will delve into Istanbul with Emin Özmen, develop a clear project thread on a subject of your choice, and systematically refine your editing and sequencing skills, while benefiting from Cloé Kerhoas's solid industry experience. The final days focus on editing and sequencing, collectively designing a zine that gathers the work of all participants.

Day 1 - 2026.05.01

Introduction, Ideas Development Lab & city tour

10:00AM–1:00PM: Introduction — the week's schedule is announced, followed by a tour of Istanbul's neighborhoods led by Emin Özmen.
2:00PM–4:00PM: Lecture — a talk by Emin Özmen; Ideas Development Lab, where each participant introduces their background, project ideas and goals for the workshop.
Evening: Personal shooting time — participants photograph in and around the city.

Please arrange to arrive in Istanbul on your own before May 1.

Day 2 - 2026.05.02

Visual storytelling lecture & group review

10:00AM–1:00PM: Lecture — Emin Özmen on visual storytelling; Group Review, where each participant presents a selection of the previous day's photographs and receives constructive feedback from peers and mentor.
Afternoon: Personal shooting time — participants photograph in and around the city.

Day 3 - 2026.05.03

Group review & personal shooting

10:00AM–1:00PM: Group Review — each participant presents a selection of the previous day's photographs and receives constructive feedback from peers and mentor.
Afternoon: Personal shooting time — participants photograph in and around the city.

Day 4 - 2026.05.04

Cloé Kerhoas online lecture: professional practice

10:00AM–1:00PM: Online lecture by Cloé Kerhoas — professional practice, covering how to approach editors, how to secure funding for a photo project, and how to build an online presence and influence.
Afternoon: Personal shooting time — participants photograph in and around the city.

Day 5 - 2026.05.05

Group review & personal shooting

10:00AM–1:00PM: Group Review — each participant presents a selection of the previous day's photographs and receives constructive feedback from peers and mentor.
Afternoon: Personal shooting time — participants photograph in and around the city.

Day 6 - 2026.05.06

Review & editing and sequencing practice

10:00AM–6:00PM: Group review — looking back over the past week, with editing and sequencing exercises.

Day 7 - 2026.05.07

Zine sequencing & closing

10:00AM–4:00PM: Building on a review of everyone's work from the week, select the best photographs and collectively design a zine featuring the work of all workshop participants.
Closing reception and farewell.

Registration

Workshop Fee

¥18,800 per person (early-bird price of ¥16,800 per person for registrations submitted before February 28, 2026)

This fee covers the workshop tuition only and does not include transportation, accommodation, or other personal expenses incurred during the program; see the registration form for details on additional costs. This is not a "tour group" itinerary — all participants must purchase international travel insurance covering the full trip and provide it before the program begins.

Capacity

6–10 participants

Location

Istanbul, Turkey

How to Register

1.Click the registration link below or scan the registration-form QR code to fill out the form.
2.Applicants must submit 10–15 past works (single images or series, uploaded within the form), or provide social media accounts.
3.Assessment is completed within 3 days (reviewed and selected personally by Emin Özmen), with confirmation by email and WeChat.
4.Complete payment to finalize registration and await the start of the workshop (first come, first served; closes once full).

Go to the registration form →

Other Information

Language of Instruction: English (with Chinese translation)
Workshop Enquiries: WeChat: bonbondepan

Emin Özmen × Photo Reason — Istanbul Workshop