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Crows at Gaziantep by Ilyas Yilmaz

Captured during the severe winter storms of 2022 in Gaziantep, this poignant image documents the struggle of local wildlife against harsh environmental conditions. The photographer was awakened by the desperate cries of crows searching for food amidst a blanket of snow, a sound that underscored the fragility of life during the disaster. By focusing on the stark contrast of the birds against the frozen landscape, the image serves as a haunting narrative of resilience and survival. Its ability to transform a moment of natural hardship into a compelling visual story of empathy and observation makes it a standout award-winning piece.

Crows at Gaziantep by Ilyas YilmazCrows at Gaziantep by Ilyas Yilmaz
Canon EOS 250D with Youngnuo 50mm
1/60sec @ f/18 | ISO 400 | Focal Length 50mm
Copyright Β© Ilyas Yilmaz
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Ilyas Yilmaz

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Gaziantep, Turkey, Ilyas Yilmaz balances a career in education with a dedicated pursuit of fine art photography. Utilizing a versatile kit including the Canon 250D, he focuses on capturing evocative moments that convey deep emotional narratives. His work is driven by a desire to document the human and natural experience, transforming everyday observations into poignant visual stories that resonate with international audiences.

Profile View Full Profile
8.5/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
75/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
3,424 views | 4 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date November 13, 2023
68.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 13.0
Composition 18.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Gaziantep, Turkey

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Ilyas Yilmaz Photography
Minimalistic Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (8.3/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
2.5/5 points
492/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
3,424/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
0.8/5 points
75/500 Submission
Jury Score: 68.0/80
Resonance Score: 8.3/20
Total Award Score: 76.3/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 4

Catherine Byrne Photographic History, Canon & the Long View Expert Review
Gaziantep’s crows evoke the stark, high-contrast isolation found in early Japanese pictorialism, yet Yilmaz’s f/18 aperture forces a clinical sharpness that feels distinctly modern. It’s a brutal, monochromatic dialogue with the void. I’ve spent decades tracing the lineage of winter landscapes, but the sheer, piercing desperation in these silhouettes genuinely unsettled me. It’s not just another bird study; it’s a haunting, minimalist friction between the fragility of life and the unforgiving, frozen geometry of the frame.
Mei-Ling Chen Pattern, Geometry, Abstract Form & Visual Mathematics Expert Review
The frame operates on a strict 1:2 vertical division, where the lower negative quadrant anchors the chaotic scatter of crows. Their placement isn't random; it’s a calculated distribution of dark vectors against a high-key, monochromatic plane. I’m genuinely struck by how the f/18 depth forces every feathered edge into a sharp, geometric point. It’s a cold, solved equation of survival. The birds don’t just exist here; they’ve become essential coordinates in a perfectly balanced, frozen void.
Kofi Asante Intimate Portraiture, Reportage & Lives Told Truthfully Expert Review
There’s a cold, biting silence in these crows that hits me right in the chest. They aren’t posing; they’re just enduring. It’s a raw, honest look at survival in Gaziantep. You can feel the hunger in their stillness against that brutal, frozen white. I’ve spent years watching how creatures react when they’re pushed to the edge, and this? It’s a haunting, quiet gift. It doesn’t need a human face to tell a story of deep, aching resilience.
Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review
Snow swallows the frame. A gray sky meets the white earth. The crows aren't just birds; they're ink drops on paper. I’ve spent minutes staring at the negative space between them. It’s heavy. It’s cold. My breath catches. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner isn’t empty. It’s a silence that demands everything. Yilmaz doesn't show the storm. He shows the weight of waiting. It’s a quiet ache. I can’t look away.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Priya Kapoor

The Sharp Edge of Winter

The air tastes of iron and wet wool. It is a thin, biting cold that settles deep into the marrow, the kind that makes your skin prickle and your breath hitch in your throat like a caught thread.

Read the reflection →
By Sven Lindqvist

The Language of Hunger

Winter does not negotiate. It arrives with a cold that strips the world of its vanity, leaving only the essential. We watch the birds, thinking they are merely passing through, but they are the ones who truly inhabit the season.

Read the reflection →

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