Photography, for me, is a form of listening.I'm based in Berlin, and the city runs through much of my work — its architecture, its rhythms, the unscripted moments that surface when you slow down enough to notice them. But I'm equally drawn to what exists at the edges of the visible: the interior that hasn't been touched in years, the face caught before it composes itself, the still life that nobody arranged. This duality runs deeper than habit.

It lives in my name — Leyla, the quiet reflective night, and Dirim, vibrant relentless life. Two forces that don't compete. They complete each other, and they shape everything I look for behind the lens. No single subject. A consistent way of paying attention.

For ongoing photojournalism, essays, and documentary projects, visit leyladirim.com.