Take Your Seat, Türkiye
After 10,000 photographs shot over six expeditions,
Take Your Seat, Türkiye now makes its debut.
Welcome to an exotic land whose natural wonders, history, and culture
are matched only by the warmth of its people.
Welcome to Take Your Seat, Türkiye!
25 Favourites
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Istanbul
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Mediterranean
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‘Shoes removed and reverence heightened, we quietly enter Nuruosmaniye Mosque.
In the Fatih district of Istanbul, the‘Light of Osman’ lives up to its name.
The sun illuminates exquisite stained glass as our chair humbly joins an intimate gathering of worshippers.
They openly welcome our message of unity.
We are blessed with a very human photograph that shares our connection to each other.’
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‘The air is still. The gentle breeze blowing across the Mediterranean
smells of oranges and promise as a new day begins.
This sun, like the sun back home, rises with purpose.
She is beautiful. She is too often ignored.
Her display over Türkiye this morning, however, commands our attention.’
Anatolia
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'Nature has reclaimed much of what was once a bustling city
built around the carbonate deposits of Pamukkale.
Long after its zenith, the craftsmanship and scale of human ingenuity remain.'
Ankara
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'Anıtkabir, the resting place for Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,
founding father of the Turkish Republic, proudly sits on a hilltop overlooking all of Ankara.
The scale of Emil Onat’s design is imposing. The vista equally so.
Amidst all of the magnificent stone and marble, a group of school children cross the square.
Their youthful enthusiasm brings the meaning of Anıtkabir to life.'
Black Sea Region
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''The car is hungry', our driver shares as we stop for fuel on our five-hour drive from Samsun to Trabzon.
The sun waits patiently for us as we scout for a backdrop worthy of the Black Sea's invitation.
A quaint harbour, dotted with fishing boats, gives us a memorable sunset and another glimpse of the beauty of Türkiye.'
Portraits
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Take Your Seat is led by Randy & Spencer VanDerStarren.
Together, this father-and-son team has given a chair a voice; one that speaks a universal language of unity, responsibility, and individual power that is being shared with audiences around the world.
Take Your Seat and their director's chair have had the privilege of being hosted in 15 countries and counting. We extend a heartfelt thank you for being part of our chair's ongoing journey! Contact us here.
Behind the scenes
We post all our favourite behind-the-scenes pictures to our Instagram. Follow us here.
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Partners
We wish a heartfelt "Çok teşekkür ederim!" to the organizations below, and the people behind them, for helping to make Take Your Seat, Türkiye a reality.
A special thank you is owed to Mr. Mevlüt Yeni, our Turkish brother.