GG: How and when did you start to take pictures?
AY: Growing up my mom was always taking photographs of my sisters and me; having a camera around became an ordinary thing. It wasn't until the eighth grade, however, that photography seemed appealing. I saved up my money and bought my first point and shoot camera as a means of taking simple snapshots. I photographed everything and quickly became obsessed. Joining online art groups were what motivated and helped me improve the most. Eventually I upgraded to a DSLR and continued to experiment. I fell in love with the medium and haven't stopped since.

GG: How do you see your photos, how would you interpret them?
AY: That is a really tough question, and this whole idea of what my work is about is something I've been struggling with recently. I photograph the people I love and care about, so I look at my images with personal sentiment. It's difficult for me to remove myself from the image, the subject, and the moment; so to me, the images are a chronicle of the people and the life. They're about growing up, innocence, and the loss of it. The mystery and charm of childhood.

GG: You captured children on may pictures. What leads you to it?
AY: I am the oldest brother and cousin in my family, so children have always been around. They were always available, so they became my subjects.  It wasn't until I understood photography as an art form that I realized the power children possess. The shape and scope of my work has evolved from that realization. Plus, I am a very nostalgic person and I don't deal well with change. So immortalizing this period of their lives seemed right.

GG: Do you prepare your shots in advance, or do you take photographs under influence of moment?
AY: It all depends. I keep a notebook with me, where I keep messy sketches of ideas that come to mind. They become a reference and a reminder for when I am low on inspiration. Most of my images are staged, though many are greatly influenced by a moment. It can be the light, the branches of a tree, a random prop, a movement: there are many things that strike an idea.

GG: Where do you draw inspiration for your photography?
AY: Inspiration comes in many forms, but I have found that it mainly comes from the people I photograph. Their essence, their movements, the way they carry themselves, the way they communicate, and ultimately the way I feel around them.

I am very inspired by other photographers, most notably, Sally Mann. Her work has taught me how to look at my subjects differently, how to analyze my work and that of others. Having obsessed and studied her work compulsively, my approach to photography has certainly changed.

The online art forums inspire me immensely and on a daily basis as well. I happen to be drawn to the work of photographers of a similar age: Maria McGinley, Rengim Mutevelioglu, Matt Caplin, Jeff Hahn, Jessica Klingelfuss, and Elif Karakoc to name a few.

GG: Do you like watching your family photos?
AY: I've alway loved looking through old family albums. It is the personal photographs that make photography completely worth it. Without the treasured sentimental images, I would have dropped the hobby long ago.

GG: What are the benefit that gives you photography, or conversely, what they take away?
AY: Everyone says that same thing, and it has become such a cliche, but photography teaches you how to look at everything differently. It changes your outlook on life as you begin to appreciate the simple things.

It can be a burden though. There is a pressure to it, and I often fear that I am not taking enough photographs –that I am missing moments and losing time.

GG: Do you have any models?
AY: As mentioned, the people I love and care about are my models: my sisters, my cousins, and my friends. The boy that you see in many of my photographs would probably be considered a muse. He is effortless in his work and hauntingly beautiful. He charms and unsettles you, and that is exactly what I want to evoke. But I don't have to tell him these things, he simply knows it and gives it to me. There is a connection there that I have with no one else.

GG: What are your plans for the future? What is your photographic dream?
AY: I don't have a set plan, so I figure I will go where life takes me. I want to travel and experience different cultures before I settle down. And ideally, I would like to live comfortably off my personal photographs. It would be nice to have books and exhibitions under my belt and to be able to focus on my work as an art form rather than cater to an employer's needs.

GG: What do you have as other hobby?
AY: I love to read. Love music. Love painting. Love nature. 

GG: What part of the day you prefer?
AY: I am certainly a night owl, and I love my alone time. 

GG: What makes you guaranteed laugh?
AY: I am easily amused, but I'm certainly one to laugh at dry humor.

Thank you for interview
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