Events
More than just photography
If there's one thing Selim Say enjoys at least as much as photography, it's talking about photography: in lectures, writing, and coaching. His workshops aren't really workshops at all—more like gatherings, a sharing of ideas (and not just knowledge). Sometimes in small groups, sometimes in larger ones. Sometimes in Germany, sometimes elsewhere.
At its core, it's about what lies between things: seeing moments instead of capturing images – and preserving what lies beneath. Information on upcoming events can be found here. Please send inquiries via email to Selim Say or the respective event partner.
Unplugged Photography Class - Portraits: Capturing the Moment. (Frankfurt/Main area)
Unplugged Photography Portraits: Moments instead of motifs
This workshop offers a deep insight into the philosophy, methodology, and psychology of Unplugged Photography.
Designed to be experiential, interactive, and providing targeted impulses for new approaches, it opens a space for conscious, minimalist work.
A special format for beginners and those switching to artistic portrait photography –
authentic, close and connected to the people in front of the camera.
Unplugged photography describes a photographic style that consciously defines itself through reduction: less equipment, less technology, less distraction. The focus is on nature, deceleration, and a form of "de-digitalization."
Similar to an unplugged concert, photography here is created with the bare essentials – immediate, emotional, and honest.
Less thinking, more feeling for the moment.
Capturing portraits and moments as they feel , not as they are constructed.
The moment counts; cropping, composition, and cumbersome arrangements deliberately recede into the background.
Reduction to the essentials, deceleration, and consistent photography form the basis of this workshop.
The workshop
This workshop offers a deep insight into the philosophy, methodology, and psychology of Unplugged Photography.
Experience-oriented, dialogical, and with targeted impulses for new approaches, this format is deliberately conceived differently – personal, intensive, and closely aligned with practical application.
Location
Located near Frankfurt, the tastefully furnished rooms offer ample space for creativity and atmospheric photography.
Varied, detailed, and with diverse backgrounds, the location provides an ideal environment for developing and implementing photographic concepts.
Detailed theoretical section
Soft light and a rustic-elegant atmosphere create perfect conditions for an UNPLUGGED session .
Models
Two very special models will be accompanying us on this day.
I have worked with both of them many times – they are experienced, present, and perfectly suited for an intensive workshop day.
Confident and with extensive workshop experience, they are both muse and inspiration, noticeably bringing the images to life.
The model selection is finalized several weeks before the workshop and will be shared with the participants in one of the preceding updates. Should any last-minute changes occur, the information will be announced approximately one week before the workshop.
Photography, Selim Say
Program & Content (brief overview)
Introduction & presentation
of participants, team and introduction to the UNPLUGGED PHOTOGRAPHY philosophyPortrait photography
: What truly makes a portrait – regardless of technique and editingConcept & Preparation:
Preparation for person, context and location
Develop your own styleWorking with models:
Relationship, coordination and communication as the key to visual languageThe shoot
involves being the author, director, and actor all at once:
designing scenes, creating atmosphere,
and practical work in two small groups (max. 3 participants), supervised by a coach and co-coach.Closing & Feedback:
Joint exchange, observations and feedback.
Ends around 5:00 pm.
Photography, Selim Say
Important information:
Target audience:
Ambitious photographers, those switching careers or newcomers to people and portrait photography, as well as photographers looking for new inspiration after a break.
Equipment:
Reduced and deliberate. Prime lenses are useful, but not essential.
No lighting equipment, no elaborate setups – in keeping with the unplugged philosophy. Daylight as the primary light source.
Co-coach:
An experienced photographer who understands my working methods and supervises individual groups during the practical sessions.
Extensive experience in fashion and portrait photography.
Participation & Booking:
Before booking, a personal consultation takes place.
This ensures that the format is suitable and that a harmonious group is formed.
Practice & Procedure:
Small groups, clear structure, sufficient time per participant.
Warm-up, shooting, feedback directly on the display, set and outfit changes for variety.
Inquiries and further information
Upon request via email to Selim Say, information (info PDF) with all details will be available from January 20th. If interested, booking can be made after an initial consultation.
Istanbul Workshop with Leica - following in the footsteps of Ara Güler
Between two perspectives: Istanbul in the echo of Ara Güler
Istanbul is not a subject – it is a story.
Anyone who walks through its streets with a camera encounters not just people and places, but a feeling. It was right here, between alleyways, bridges, and the Bosphorus, that Ara Güler was at home: the eye of Istanbul, the chronicler of everyday life, who sealed the memory of this city with his images.
His lens wandered from the narrow streets of Balat to the damp walls of Ayvansaray; from the shadows of Galata to the morning mist of Karaköy. Each image was not just a scene, but a testament to a time when dignity and poverty, tranquility and chaos, light and history existed side by side. For decades.
Photography by Ara Güler
Today we walk the same paths – yet through a different Istanbul.
The streets of Fener, the markets, the Galata Bridge, Eminönü… all of this is still a stage, but the actors have changed. In today's images, we encounter speed, facelessness, digital distractions. The question remains: What do we see – and what do we overlook?
This is precisely where this four-day workshop comes in.
He invites us not just to photograph Istanbul, but to truly experience it. With minimal equipment, light-footed, open to chance encounters and fleeting moments. We move through teahouses and galleries, bazaars and promenades, across bridges, squares, and ferries – through those spaces where Güler once found his stories and where new stories are now being created.
Led by Leica photographer Selim Say and accompanied by co-coach and guide Gökhan Arer, we sharpen our eye for situations, light, and atmosphere. We learn to see the meaning emerging in scenes, to recognize fleeting moments, and to hear the dialogue with the past amidst the chaos of the present.
Photography by Gökhan Arer
The Istanbul-based street photographer is one of the leading figures in the street photography scene of Istanbul and, following a concept by Selim Say for Leica photographers, guides us through the Istanbul that Ara Güler preserved – and the one that we are rediscovering today.
The main program points at a glance:
1. Four-day program consisting of theoretical and practical parts on street and documentary photography in Istanbul.
2. Four days, four zones of the city, which not only offer countless motifs, but also allow you to discover the city from a wide variety of perspectives.
3. At the end of the day, review of the recordings and image discussion.
4. Personal travel briefing with the group of participants before departure for coordination and detailed discussion.
Accommodation and travel logistics
Flights, transfers and accommodation can be booked individually or (recommended) organized through a partner travel agency.
The advantage: Perfect coordination of flight and transfer times. One-stop travel service. Transfer between airport and hotel with a reliable driver (VIP van).
Special rate for single and double rooms through group deal at a 5-star hotel in the Beyoglu/Tersane district and shared base (depending on number of guests/nights (occupancy type, etc.))
The earlier the participants are confirmed, the cheaper the conditions for flights and accommodation.
Inquiries and booking
For inquiries and information regarding all details, please subscribe to the Leica Newsletter (starting in January 2026), visit the Leica Store Frankfurt, or contact Selim Say by email.
Leica Experience Days. Presentation: "More"
As part of the Leica Experience Days at Leica World Wetzlar, Selim Say will be a guest with his presentation “More” – a special format between keynote, lively lecture and reading.
"More" is a personal exploration of my portrait photography.
Using a selection of works, he discusses the sources of these images: closeness, trust, inner visions, memories, and moods. He talks about moments that cannot be planned—and about what cannot truly be put into words.
At certain points, the presentation is supplemented by the reading of the author's own texts. These texts are not explanations of the images, but rather open up a further space: for thoughts, feelings, and the unseen connection between photographer and subject. This creates a special atmosphere – calm, focused, and personal.
"More" is not a traditional photography lecture.
It's an invitation to understand photography as a relationship,
and as something that goes beyond the image itself.
The presentation is designed exclusively for Leica M as in Leica M – and will take place in a private setting during the Experience Days.
The exact time can be found in the Leica Experience Days program.