One of the six Photographers of 2010 Olympics: Mine Kasapoğlu

By Bija Gutoff

Turkish photographer Mine Kasapoglu delights in the revelatory moment. In her coverage of the Salt Lake City, Athens and Turin Olympic Games, she consistently snagged that impromptu gesture, spontaneous meeting or unscripted expression that distinguishes a Kasapoglu image.

A competitive athlete herself — Kasapoglu began ski racing at age three, made her country’s ski team at 15, and is the 2007 Turkish Snowboard Champion — she too has celebrated victories in the winner’s circle.

But when she’s working, Kasapoglu gets great shots behind the footlights. “The most exciting thing for me at Salt Lake,” she blurts with characteristic excitement, “was being backstage with the talent during the opening and closing ceremonies.” During the 2002 games she snapped on- and off-stage photos of headliners like Willie Nelson, Kiss, Moby, Gloria Estefan, Sting and Yo Yo Ma.

Turin Candids

In addition to being a freelancer, Kasapoglu is staff photographer at the Turkish alternative fashion magazine 2’debir. (The name translates literally as “one in two,” but colloquially it means “to keep doing something.” What this magazine aims to keep doing, says Kasapoglu, is to “stick its tongue out at the world.”)

When the magazine assigned Kasapoglu to photograph the 2006 Turin Olympics, she built an entire feature around her knack for candids. “I would photograph the athletes not at the medal ceremony,” she explains, “but at the moment they knew they had won. I like the photo to reflect the real experience, the surprise, before they’ve had a chance to compose their expressions.”

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Source: http://www.apple.com/pro/profiles/kasapoglu/index2.html

One of Kasapoglu's photographs from Vancouver 2010 opening ceremony

B.A. in Economics and Philosophy, Minor in Studio Art from Gettysburg College, Pennssylvania. Professional Photography education in Speos Photographic Institute, Paris, France.

Mine has been taking photographs for twelve years. Based in Istanbul she has also worked in Paris, Vienna, Boston, Athens, Torino, Salt Lake City and Beijing. Being extremely passionate about the Olympics, visual arts, creativity, sportsmanship, competition and the excitement that comes with all that, she tries to embody these passions in photography and snowboarding. She is also currently on the Turkish National Snowboardcross team.

More than anything, she prefers to be surrounded by her family, her friends and all her dogs and cats.

Source: http://www.minekasapoglu.com/