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About Me
I'm a British freelance photojournalist, based in Istanbul, Turkey. My personal work often focuses on themes of identity, migration, social and political actions, and the ramifications of those for individuals. I regularly cover stories about how identity shapes lives in challenging and unexpected ways, particularly within sexual and ethnic minority groups. Regularly working covering feature stories, and portrait assignments in Turkey, the Balkans, and the Middle East, for a range of international newspapers, magazines, and online news media.
My long-term project Kütmaan (started in 2010) tells the stories of LGBTI asylum seekers, refugees, and IDPs in and from the Middle East, forced to flee their countries and lives for reasons connected with their sexuality and/or gender identity. This work led to my latest ongoing body of personal work called Gayropa - a visual documentation on queer migration to Europe.
Based in Istanbul, Turkey since early 2012, but traveling often. Began my career freelancing across South/Central Asia 2005-2010.
PRINT SALE - https://prints.format.com/shop/u/bradleysecker/professional-prints
Turkish and UK national press cards. International press accreditation via IFJ. Member of the National Union of Journalists UK, London Branch.
Holder of a full (clean!) driving licence.
Founder of Gayropa - a visual documentation on queer migration to Europe.
Hostile Environment - HEFAT and R.I.S.C. certified & trained.
Experienced as an on-set photographer and videographer for TV and film production. (Multiple Bollywood feature films, Al Jazeera documentaries and independent productions).
Available for editorial and commercial assignments internationally.
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Iraq's unwanted (part of my ongoing work Kütmaan) inspired a theatre production called Elegy by Transport Theatre, written by Douglas Rintoul and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and in London, Australia, and Spain. My Syrian Nakba series inspired a campaign by Caritas Deutschland, helping to raise awareness and funding to support refugees.
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Editorial clients:
Der Spiegel // The Guardian // The Times and The Sunday Times // POLITICO Europe // The New York Times // The Washington Post // National Geographic Magazine // WIRED // BBC // Stern // Buzzfeed News // The National // The Observer // Monocle Magazine // De Volkskrant // CNN // Libération // Deutsche Welle // JWD Magazin // Dagens Nyheter // Le Figaro // NewsCorp Australia // them.us // & others.
Written features: The Independent: New Review magazine, POLITICO Europe, The Everyday Projects, TimeOut Istanbul LGBT section writer. Contributed live radio coverage and reports to BBC, PRI and others.
NGO / IGO / Corporate clients:
OSCE, UNHCR, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Amnesty International, IGLHRC, Coca Cola, Brandseers, MayDay Rescue/White Helmets, Teneo Blue Rubicon, AllOUT, Barcroft Media, Primark, International Press Institute.
Corporate portfolio available upon request.
Getty Images Reportage - Emerging Talent 2015/16
British Journal of Photography talk on a decade covering LGBTI asylum.
The New York Times - portfolio review attendee - 2019
Please contact me directly for individual print sales, requests for image usage, story leads, or collaborative opportunities.
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Exhibitions
2022 - SEXugees - New Queer Photography - f3 – freiraum für fotografie - Berlin, Germany. June-August 2022
2022 - Gayropa (Wael) - Preus Museum, Oslo, Norway. August 2022
2022 - Pride Photo Award exhibition - Amsterdam, Netherlands - June-October 2022
2018 - Kütmaan/Mr Gay Syria - GET ME - Rotterdam - Feb 2018
2017 - Kütmaan - Amsterdam Queer Migrant Film Festival - December 2017
2017 - Selected works from multiple series - Split, Croatia 1-10th June. Split Pride.
2017 - Liverpool, UK. Psychology Fringe Festival. January 19-21. Exhibition screening and photographer talk.
2016 - Kütmaan - Cezayir, solo exhibition. Istanbul, Turkey. October 2016
2016 - Kütmaan - Midsumma festival, Melbourne, Australia January-February 2016
2015 - Syrian Nakba - FotoIstanbul - October/November 2015, Istanbul, Turkey
2013 - Kütmaan - Solo exhibition, Curious Duke Gallery, London, UK
2012 - Kütmaan - NOUR festival - Leighton House, London, UK. Opened by Peter Tatchell.
2011 - Iraq's unwanted (part of Kütmaan) - First Out Café, London, UK
Grants
Pulitzer Center grantee - Climate change & labour markets reporting - August-October 2022
National Geographic Society - COVID-19 photographic project grantee - October 2020 - December 2020
National Geographic Explorer - October 2019 - May 2020
Pulitzer Center grantee - reporting across Europe - May-September 2019.
International Reporting Project Fellow December 2017 - reporting from Japan
Arts Council England - Grant for the arts. 2012
Awards
Sexugees series wins two photography awards as part of POLITICO Europe
New York Times Portfolio Review 2019 - selected participant
Salzburg Global LGBT Forum Fellow 2017
Second place - Excellence in photojournalism category - NLGJA awards 2016
Getty Images Reportage - Emerging Talent 2015-2016
First Prize - Pride Photo Award, Amsterdam 2011
Selected written features
https://www.politico.eu/article/in-pictures-a-border-crossing-to-safety/
https://wonderfulmachine.com/article/bradley-secker-new-york-times-afghan-national-soccer/
https://medium.com/re-picture/you-have-to-be-a-good-shapeshifter-208bfd9af93e
https://www.politico.eu/article/turkish-controlled-town-northern-syria-returning-to-normality/
Cameo appearances...
Non speaking extra in Indian (Hindi) films: 'Queen', 'Shandaar', 'Mausam', 'Holiday' and Egyptian (Arabic) film 'Baby Doll Nights'.
Podcast - Istanboomboom - my camel story - https://soundcloud.com/istanboomboom/e7-the-b-secker-camel-story-w-photog-bradley-secker-drunken-audience-members-a-musical-guest
Teaching
Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, Canada. 2016/17/18 - Remotely contributing lectures to journalism students on Networking for work/Building Community in the journalism industry.
Mentoring Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting - 2020-21-22 with student grantee journalists and photographers