In Illuminations, Bülent Özgören’s lens becomes a conduit for revelation, echoing Hannah Arendt’s reflections on the interplay between light and meaning. Just as Arendt explored how thought illuminates the hidden structures of reality, Özgören’s images expose the delicate balance between nature and human presence, between fleeting moments and architectural permanence. Through silver gelatin vintage prints and meticulously crafted archival works, he navigates landscapes where man and nature converge, capturing the quiet dialogues that unfold in the streets, in organic forms, and in the built environment. These photographs are not mere representations; they are acts of seeing—each frame an illumination of the visible and the unseen, a meditation on presence, passage, and the enduring imprint of light.

About the Artist

Bülent Özgören began his journey in photography during his middle and high school years, later formalizing his practice in 1975 while studying in the United States. At Miami University, he trained under Edward Ghannam, head of the photography department, and was introduced to renowned photographers such as Arnold Newman, Jerry Uelsmann, Ansel Adams, and Jean Loup Sieff. Deeply influenced by Ansel Adams and his Zone System approach to black-and-white photography, Özgören structured his photographic education around these techniques, later incorporating Phil Davis’ Beyond the Zone System methodology. His practice also extended to color photography and Platinum Palladium printing techniques.

During his university years, he worked as a teaching assistant in the photography department and held roles as both a photographer and photo editor for a newspaper. Returning to Istanbul in 1981, he has since led numerous lectures and workshops on Fine Art Photography, the Zone System, and black-and-white photography at various photography associations and universities. He also taught a Fine Art Photography course at Yıldız University.

With nearly twenty solo exhibitions to his name, Özgören’s works are included in the collections of Istanbul Modern, the Istanbul Photography Center, and numerous institutions and private collections.

In 1984, he co-founded the FOG Photography Group with five colleagues, later playing a founding role in the Salı Photography Group, established in 1995.