"An Endless Journey"  Istanbul - April, 2016

Preface

"Aydin Cetinbostanoglu is an old friend of the China Folklore Photographic Association and the Humanity Photo Awards. He was part of two consecutive sessions of the HPA photography contest co-organized by CFPA* and UNESCO. Cetinbostanoglu was also the recipient of one nomination award and four documentary awards with his five photography series of competing entries in HPA 2013 and 2015, respectively. He is among the photographers to have won the highest number of HPA awards internationally in recent years. A professional photographer, Cetinbostanoglu's photographs mirror his passion for folk themes and reflect humanitarian values, realism, vivacity, and warmth, the combination of which has a profound impact on the viewer. In his works, the photographer utilizes the simplest and most natural techniques of photography to recount realistic folk tales that revolve around people and their most ordinary, sincere sentiments. Generously sharing scenes from his homeland with viewers, Cetinbostanoglu not only introduces local and traditional cultures native to Turkey, but also makes room for a deeper understanding of a land and civilization that have been around for centuries. Located between Europe and Asia at the crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations, Turkey, much like China, has a long history and is considered a cradle of civilization for humanity. This rich and diverse culture is not only a blessing as far as folk-custom photography is concerned, but it also holds a higher mission for us. As the founder of folk photography and the Humanity Photo Awards, I particularly hope that Aydin Cetinbostanoglu will forever uphold his initial resolve and dedication to continue recording and preserving cultural heritage. In doing so, he will appeal to more of his own countrymen in creating a sense of awareness about the plethora of rich cultures they are surrounded with and help them understand the importance of transmitting this timeless and priceless wealth to subsequent generations! I would like to take this opportunity to invite more photographers and photography enthusiasts around the world to join us in achieving this greater cause by recording, transmitting, and sharing cultures of humanity to sustain their growth and development, to maintain the harmony of diverse cultures, and to reinforce the strength and solidarity these unique images convey'  by Shen Che, Chairman of China Folklore Photographic Association -  January 21, 2016 Beijing, China

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