Esquire Türkiye Photoshoot in Istanbul. A Turning Point in My Photography Career

In November 2024, I had the opportunity to work on one of the most important shoots of my career for Esquire Turkey. Looking back now, I can honestly say that after this production, nothing in photography feels impossible anymore.

The project combined two completely different worlds of Istanbul. The first part of the shoot took place at Lider Horse Base, surrounded by horses, cinematic nature, raw textures, and dramatic autumn atmosphere. The second part was photographed inside the legendary Pera Palace Hotel, one of the most historical and iconic hotels in Istanbul, known for its timeless interiors, classic elegance, and connection to the cultural history of the city.

This contrast between wild cinematic energy and historical luxury became the visual foundation of the editorial.

The models for the project were Amin Khuratov and Janessa Alleyne. Their energy, professionalism, and strong visual presence helped transform the editorial into something much deeper than a standard fashion shoot. Every frame felt emotional, stylish, and cinematic at the same time.

Working on a production for Esquire Turkey taught me how important it is to stay calm under pressure and trust your creative vision. Large productions always involve stress, logistics, changing light conditions, timing, coordination with teams, locations, styling, and creative direction. But this project became a personal turning point for me as a photographer.

After working on a production at this level, combining complex locations, fashion storytelling, editorial aesthetics, and strong personalities, I understood that I was ready for much bigger international projects.

Istanbul continues to inspire me because the city allows photographers to create visuals that feel global. In a single day, you can move from cinematic nature and horses to luxury historical interiors like Pera Palace, creating stories that look like scenes from a movie.

Today, I continue working with international models, brands, magazines, and creative teams, producing fashion editorials and cinematic photography projects in Istanbul, Tbilisi, Dubai, and other cities around the world.

The Esquire Turkey experience became one of those moments that completely changed my confidence as a photographer and pushed my creative vision to a new level.

Portfolio: sergiomaiis.com