About

A Portrait of an Artist: Gigi's Journey Through Light and Letters

In the rarified intersection of literature, fine arts, and photography stands Gigi, a Renaissance soul whose artistic vision has been shaped by the profound depths of her academic pursuits. Her journey began in the hallowed halls of academia, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literature from Bilkent University, steeping herself in the timeless narratives that have captured the human experience across centuries. This foundation in storytelling would later become the invisible thread weaving through her photographic compositions.

Her passion for visual storytelling led her to pursue a Master of Fine Arts from where she immersed herself in the study of light, composition, and the delicate interplay between classical and contemporary artistic expression. It was here that she developed her distinctive approach to wedding photography—one that marries the raw emotion of photojournalism with the refined aesthetics of fine art.

Gigi's unique perspective is informed by her deep understanding of literary narrative structures and artistic composition. Just as a novelist crafts scenes that resonate with emotional truth, she orchestrates visual moments that speak to the heart's deepest chambers. Her background in comparative literature allows her to recognize the universal elements of love stories while celebrating their unique expressions, much like how different cultures tell the same eternal tales through their own distinct lenses.

In her hands, a camera becomes more than a mere instrument—it transforms into a bridge between the ephemeral and the eternal. Her formal education in fine arts enables her to see beyond the obvious, finding beauty in unexpected moments: the way light catches a grandmother's joyful tears, how shadows dance across a carefully preserved wedding gown, or the gentle geometry of hands clasped in peaceful anticipation.

Through her dual mastery of digital and film photography, complemented by her understanding of classical artistic principles, Gigi creates images that resonate with both contemporary vitality and timeless grace. Each wedding becomes a canvas where light, emotion, and artistry converge to tell a story that transcends the ordinary boundaries of wedding photography.

Her approach is deliberately measured and profoundly personal. Drawing from her literary background, she views each wedding as a unique narrative unfolding through chapters of joy, anticipation, solemnity, and celebration. Her fine arts training manifests in her impeccable attention to composition, her masterful use of natural light, and her ability to transform fleeting moments into enduring works of art.

What truly sets Gigi apart is her ability to synthesize her academic foundations with her artistic intuition. Her understanding of narrative structure, gained through her literature studies, allows her to anticipate and capture the pivotal moments that form the emotional cornerstones of a wedding day. Meanwhile, her fine arts education enables her to elevate these captured moments into compositions worthy of gallery walls.

As the principal artist of Eleven Hearts Studios, Gigi brings this rich tapestry of education and artistry to each celebration she photographs. She approaches every wedding with the sensitivity of a poet, the eye of a painter, and the precision of a master photographer. Her work stands as a testament to the belief that wedding photography, when created with depth of knowledge and breadth of vision, can transcend documentation to become true artistic legacy.

In each image she creates, one can sense the convergence of her multiple disciplines—the storyteller's gift for narrative, the artist's eye for beauty, and the photographer's ability to freeze time. It is this unique combination that allows her to transform wedding photography into an art form that speaks to both the moment and eternity.