Shot predominantly in dramatic black and white, the photographs bring the children’s faces and gestures to the foreground. Some stare straight into the lens with remarkable intensity, while others laugh, hide, play, make faces, or react to the photographer with open curiosity. Rather than polished childhood portraits, these images preserve expressions that feel immediate, imperfect, and entirely spontaneous.
That sense of observation is central to Harmanlikli’s broader approach to street photography. Inspired by literature and the inner lives of fictional characters, he describes himself as moving through crowds much like a modern-day flâneur, paying attention to the countless small stories unfolding around him. Istanbul plays an important role in that practice and is also at the heart of his long-term project, “Istanbul, in the Flux of an All-Embracing Moment.”
Harmanlikli’s photography has received international recognition through organizations and publications including LensCulture, Life Framer, the International Photography Awards, All About Photo, and Eyeshot Magazine. Yet in this selection, the simplest element often commands attention: a child looking back. Whether playful, wary, excited, shy, or completely absorbed in the moment, those expressions give each photograph its own small and unscripted story.
