My name is Mustafa Çankaya and I’m a photographer from Istanbul who also works at Atatürk Airport.
I see thousands of different faces passing by everyday, from every culture and every part of the world. It is like a treasure for a photographer like me! This inspired me to combine my passion for photography with my work at the airport and create a new project called "100 Faces 100 Countries".
Almost everyday I walk around the transit section of the airport trying to find the right face. The person that I decide to shoot has to be different in some way. It could be the hairstyle or the dress but the most important is the atmosphere between me and the participant.
I have started my project in March 2018 and currently I have 117 portraits from 77 different countries. I will continue my project with the hope of having an exhibition of 100 different countries.
When I posted my project on Bored Panda in May 2018, it was published by German, Portugese, French, Bulgarian and Turkish media.
I love how this project connects the world in one place!
More info: Instagram
This post may include affiliate links.
Ibrahim Zethy From Rwanda
This is what happens if you meet a dancer from Rwanda at the airport. Thanks to Ibrahim Zethy!
Nicole From Ukraine
Nicole is a tattoo artist from Odessa. She was starting a tour in Europe for tattoo lovers.
Freya From Scotland
Freya studies Human Sciences at University of Oxford. She was flying to Kenya for her studies.
Bash From Lebanon
Bash arrived from the Burning Man festival, the dust is still on his shoes. He is a percussion artist playing djembe drum.
Jussi From Finland
Jussi owns a tattoo studio in Helsinki. We met before his flight to Africa. He was going to have a long journey to the middle of the jungle.
Shayma From Kuwait
Shayma was following the project before we met. She wrote me between her connecting flight to Greece. She studies medicine in Malta and also volunteers for refugees in Athens.
Those hairs!!!! So beautiful! I wish I had such a great mane even though it must be a pain in the a*s to take of them when it's a windy day and they get all tangled.
Frédéric From France
Frédéric is a teacher in Nigeria. After 2 months summer vacation he was flying back to start the new semester. By the way, the jacket is his own design.
Kavinthida From Thailand
Kavinthida had holidays in Denmark. She had a very long layover.
Parl From Estonia
Parl is a heptathlete from Estonia. Hereby I've learned that "hepta" means seven in Greek. We have met before her flight Houston.
Sara From Tanzania
Sara was in Barcelona for holidays. I really love the natural look in this picture.
Indrė From Lithuania
Indrė was heading to California to spend her summer there.
Sara From Iran
Happy to have Sara in the project! She studies dentistry and design in Moscow.
It's so wonderful to see such a diversity of wonderful people on this planet.
Idris From Nigeria
Idris is a fashion stylist from Nigeria. You can hire him both in Nigeria and Kenya! He travels a lot and we met just before his flight to New York.
Christophe From Belgium
His T-shirt rocks! It even made me ask Christophe to join the project.
Katirina From Bulgaria
Katirina was on work & travel program at New Jersey with her friend. I met them on the way back to Bulgaria.
May From Lebanon
May loves to travel. She volunteered at a refugee camp and was on the way to Egypt for work.
Sebastian From Poland
Sebastian's last adventure was the trip to the Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan. He climbed to the Peak Korzhenevskaya which is 7105 m high and it took him 8 days. He was there at the same time (13th August) when the helicopter crash happened and three Russian climbers and two Tajik pilots died in the accident.
Jargal From Mongolia
I have met Jargal before her flight to Ulaanbaatar. She studies in Frankfurt, Germany.
Gorana From Serbia
Gorana was having a quick drink before her flight to Belgrade.
Frankie J From England
Frankie J is one of the best house dancers on the planet. We have met before at Istanbul Street Dance Carnival. He was the judge for House Dance contest and I was a photographer there.
Paris From United States
Her full name is Paris London. What a beautiful name! She had lovely holidays in Greece and was heading home.
Rahma From Tunisia
Rahma is a sports teacher. She was on the way to Romania.
Lubna From Egypt
Lubna is a psytrance Dj from Egypt. She lives in Sharm el Sheikh.
Ed From Kenya
Ed has both British & Kenya nationalities. He was waiting for his flight to Nairobi country.
Aldar From Russia
Aldar grew up in United Kingdom and still lives in London.
Love how he styles his beard, stylish and beautiful. And those arms!!! Looking strong.
Luna From Chile
Luna had holidays with her friends in Kenya. She lives in Germany.
Daria From Ukraine
Daria had a flight to China for the next model shooting.
it seemed like she is posing before i found she's really a model
Gerd From Denmark
Gerd denied my offer to participate in my project at first. But, she had enough time to think about it when she was in Niger! When she came back, she explained that she liked the way this project connects people from all over the world. We met again on her way back to Denmark and had enough time for a photoshoot and a conversation.
Anja From Slovenia
Anja is the third face from Slovenia and as you see Slovenians travel a lot! I’ll probably meet half of the country until the end of the project.
Miljana From Serbia
Miljana is a tattoo artist. She was having holidays with her boyfriend.
Jacob From Sweden
Jacob is a medical student from Sweden. He was on the way to Sudan with a group of international students.
Ilya From Russia
Ilya Varlamov is one of the most famous bloggers & reporters from Russia. He was preparing a video for his YouTube channel when we met. Thanks to Ilya, most of the project followers are from Russia.
Martina From Austria
Thanks for spreading love Martina!
Florencia From Argentina
Florencia is a forensic anthropologist. She works for the Red Cross and her last destination was Georgia.
Sadeem From Pakistan
Sadeem studies Global Development in the University of Copenhagen. He loves to play his guitar as a hobby.
Boubakar From Niger
Boubakar is the leader of the pilgrim group. I met him on his way back to Hajj.
Barkinado From Senegal
Barkinado is a Senegalese painter and he has an upcoming exhibition at France La Motte-Servolex.
Mustapha From Morocco
Mustapha is a member of the band called Daraa Tribes. Their music is a fusion of the ancestral tribal music of the Draa Valley with the Sahara blues specific to the city of Tagounite (an oasis in the heart of the Moroccan dessert)
Simon Cheng From Taiwan
Photographer Simon Cheng was documenting the refugees in Slovenia. When we met, he was heading to Northern Irak where the refugees are coming from. Hope to meet him on his way back to hear his story!
Sophie From France
Sophie plays her guitar as a hobby. When I met her, she was waiting for her flight to Lebanon. She has chosen a good destination to learn Arabic!
Michele From Germany
Michele had a holiday in Phuket and was heading back to Berlin.
Philip Chang From South Korea
Chang with his friend arrived to Sweden. We met on their way back to Seoul.
Mr. Dheo From Portugal
We met with Mr. Dheo after my project was published on Portuguese newspaper. He was in Dubai and wrote me that he will transit via Istanbul. We made an appointment for the shooting session and had an excellent outcome.
Just when I thought I wouldn't see anyone from Portugal you go and meet with our boy. www.mrdheo.com
Takeshi From Japan
Takeshi is an architect and fashion designer from Japan. He designed his dress which was inspired by the Arabic dress called thawb.
Some really interesting faces. I would like to see more variety in the women (you seem to photograph ONLY young, pretty women). I would also love to see some portraits of older people.
Great photos! Reminds one how diverse and interesting airports are. Also a bit sad considering its the final days of Atatürk Airport.
Thank you for sharing your project with us. I love people watching and this is exactly why. I love the differences in people, the variations from one to the next and yet all are just as beautiful as the next.
I sincerely think this is one of my favorites! I adore how they are real people, off the cuff, just traveling in thier natural state of being. I hope this project continues. Its truly beautiful, thank you for sharing.
The Idea of the project is nice but you have a theme running through it in the way taht everyone is below the age of 30 slim goodlooking and has the same style. Older people and people of different weights and body shapes are worth photographing too. The title says UNIQUE people from all around the world but they all look the same in a way to me .
Omg people you call everyone a hipster who doesn´t fit in your boring box of expectations how people should look. Does any of you know even the meaning of the word hipster or do you all have to google it now? All those people have different styles and different interests and somehow they all are hipsters :D
Hoping one day you'll come across someone from the South Pacific but this was so beautiful. So simple but stunning 😍😍😍
Such beautiful souls from all around! Really amazing project!! Makes me want to travel haha
I love the contrast between the two photos. It's like you could see the whole picture. P.D: What about Spain? ;)
I am so glad I saw this. You do beautiful work and have a good eye for extraordinary faces. I also like that you wrote something about the people you show. What makes it even more special is that you still took these at Ataturk Airport before it is no longer the main one for international flights. We loved that airport and did not know in March that when we come to Istanbul again, it will be to a shiny new airport. These photographs gives us closure. Thank you. Wishing you only the best with your future projects.
Love the project but you might branch out a bit- Young hipsters aren't the only interesting people. I noticed you didn't have any women over 40.
Seeing lots of diversity in the men. Would be nice to see some more diversity in the women, tbh.
Beautiful alternative people yes. A lack of diversity in size and age for sure. Similar to magazine shoots- just looking for the product being sold.
I love how these people are from different countries than they currently live!
They're good. However, you basically take photos of the same type of people.
Fascinating. Makes meet want to travel more. If only I had more pennies. One day.
thats so cool you get to go around the world keep on working and have fun
Lame. Different but in a set perimeter of hipster aesthetic. I prefer the people of Walmart uniqueness.
Many people are shitting on this post and I can see why. The title says "unique people from around the world" and majorly 21-30 y.o. were chosen for the pictures and the pictures are all in all not that special. Specifically number 43 as an example. Like, how is he special? Is holding your hands in front of your face for a picture "UNIQUE"? Also, only young pretty women, most of them ain't unique, they just look good (which mind you btw is also hella subjective). Very misleading title. Should be something around the lines of "I took pictures of people I found interesting (*disclaimer, I don't find old people interesting)"
I enjoyed the project however I was quite disappointed in the lack of diversity in women. Nearly all the women photographed had the same body type, very thin, we're Young, and where what society would describe as "pretty". I would like to have seen more diversity and body type, age, and facial features. Many of the women in the photographs were "beautiful" but there styles where often times just average and not different as the title described. Therefore the theme was lost and it seemed as if the photographer was just searching for pretty, young, thin women to photograph which honestly we see enough of in society as is. We need something refreshing and I thought I would find that through this project however sadly it fell flat.
I enjoyed the project however I was quite disappointed that all the women where so similar. They were very thin, had similar facial features, where all young and where what society would describe as "pretty". I would have enjoyed to have seen more diversity in body type, age and facial features. There was diversity in the men but not much in the women. Many of the women where not even "different" as described they were just "pretty" quite average styles so the theme was lost in that.
Some interesting faces but generally hipster, youth, beauty, there is also beauty in age. Great idea though
First iwould say that you look interesting may i take photo,sing here agreement, image for free use. Then after photographing i would ask:HOW DARE YOU FLY, birds die, air pollutes and people suffer for your laziness. Is other options too, nothing is so urgent and important that YOU has to fly,never has been in miljon years human hasn't have need to fly. Fly in your dreams instead! This i would say, but i dont fly nether never ever would support flying company by working them, they has to force me there ... they force e to do these thing for what i would kill when it is legal ... wa or other situation. Weird how STATE thinks,, forcing people to do things against their will,just empower negative emotions, weirdos go politics ...
Some of the photos need more interesting compositions and more saturation. Also, some are awkward. Also, same hipster, tats, dreads, piercings.
Another issue I have with this is that Ataturk airport remains the worst airport I've ever been to and I've been to some s****y airports. It's not so much the airport itself (it's much like any other) it's the people, they were the most unfriendliest, confusing and unhelpful people I've ever met. I know many others who hated it too.
Incredible. A photo series project that highlights the young and beautiful. Groundbreaking work. Thanks for really making me feel (like I have no money or genetically inherited good looks) and think (that this was a waste of time-- so much so that I taking more time to b*tch about it). That is really what art is all about, isn't it?
More like insanely good looking, trendy people who look like they should be on the cover of magazines...
I don´t see beautiful overweight interesting people
Fabulous Project, interesting to see the various fashion statements in clothes and Hair/Beards. Great to see so many young people travelling the world for work and volunteering. As someone else said, it would be very interesting to see older faces that have a whole history in their facial expressions. Maybe you will find some older person from Ireland since you didn't come across any young people from there. Good Luck with your Project.
But for a very few, the clarity of their gaze was inspiring. These people may well change the world, breaking down borders as they travel. Thank you.
They all seem to be between 18-30 years old, especially the women. Why is that?
I remember those days, when I wanted to do something "interesting" and "cool" with my life. And I did get to meet some interesting, artsy people, in several countries around the world. I guess now I would just look like a conservative, boring old guy to him.
All of these pictures of people who are good looking and dress a bit unconventionally. A total celebration of style over substance. Good thing that intelligence, virtue, personality and altruism doesn't matter anymore.
Lul I wish I was UNIQÜĘ enough for random people to want to photograph me at an airport
Some really interesting faces. I would like to see more variety in the women (you seem to photograph ONLY young, pretty women). I would also love to see some portraits of older people.
Great photos! Reminds one how diverse and interesting airports are. Also a bit sad considering its the final days of Atatürk Airport.
Thank you for sharing your project with us. I love people watching and this is exactly why. I love the differences in people, the variations from one to the next and yet all are just as beautiful as the next.
I sincerely think this is one of my favorites! I adore how they are real people, off the cuff, just traveling in thier natural state of being. I hope this project continues. Its truly beautiful, thank you for sharing.
The Idea of the project is nice but you have a theme running through it in the way taht everyone is below the age of 30 slim goodlooking and has the same style. Older people and people of different weights and body shapes are worth photographing too. The title says UNIQUE people from all around the world but they all look the same in a way to me .
Omg people you call everyone a hipster who doesn´t fit in your boring box of expectations how people should look. Does any of you know even the meaning of the word hipster or do you all have to google it now? All those people have different styles and different interests and somehow they all are hipsters :D
Hoping one day you'll come across someone from the South Pacific but this was so beautiful. So simple but stunning 😍😍😍
Such beautiful souls from all around! Really amazing project!! Makes me want to travel haha
I love the contrast between the two photos. It's like you could see the whole picture. P.D: What about Spain? ;)
I am so glad I saw this. You do beautiful work and have a good eye for extraordinary faces. I also like that you wrote something about the people you show. What makes it even more special is that you still took these at Ataturk Airport before it is no longer the main one for international flights. We loved that airport and did not know in March that when we come to Istanbul again, it will be to a shiny new airport. These photographs gives us closure. Thank you. Wishing you only the best with your future projects.
Love the project but you might branch out a bit- Young hipsters aren't the only interesting people. I noticed you didn't have any women over 40.
Seeing lots of diversity in the men. Would be nice to see some more diversity in the women, tbh.
Beautiful alternative people yes. A lack of diversity in size and age for sure. Similar to magazine shoots- just looking for the product being sold.
I love how these people are from different countries than they currently live!
They're good. However, you basically take photos of the same type of people.
Fascinating. Makes meet want to travel more. If only I had more pennies. One day.
thats so cool you get to go around the world keep on working and have fun
Lame. Different but in a set perimeter of hipster aesthetic. I prefer the people of Walmart uniqueness.
Many people are shitting on this post and I can see why. The title says "unique people from around the world" and majorly 21-30 y.o. were chosen for the pictures and the pictures are all in all not that special. Specifically number 43 as an example. Like, how is he special? Is holding your hands in front of your face for a picture "UNIQUE"? Also, only young pretty women, most of them ain't unique, they just look good (which mind you btw is also hella subjective). Very misleading title. Should be something around the lines of "I took pictures of people I found interesting (*disclaimer, I don't find old people interesting)"
I enjoyed the project however I was quite disappointed in the lack of diversity in women. Nearly all the women photographed had the same body type, very thin, we're Young, and where what society would describe as "pretty". I would like to have seen more diversity and body type, age, and facial features. Many of the women in the photographs were "beautiful" but there styles where often times just average and not different as the title described. Therefore the theme was lost and it seemed as if the photographer was just searching for pretty, young, thin women to photograph which honestly we see enough of in society as is. We need something refreshing and I thought I would find that through this project however sadly it fell flat.
I enjoyed the project however I was quite disappointed that all the women where so similar. They were very thin, had similar facial features, where all young and where what society would describe as "pretty". I would have enjoyed to have seen more diversity in body type, age and facial features. There was diversity in the men but not much in the women. Many of the women where not even "different" as described they were just "pretty" quite average styles so the theme was lost in that.
Some interesting faces but generally hipster, youth, beauty, there is also beauty in age. Great idea though
First iwould say that you look interesting may i take photo,sing here agreement, image for free use. Then after photographing i would ask:HOW DARE YOU FLY, birds die, air pollutes and people suffer for your laziness. Is other options too, nothing is so urgent and important that YOU has to fly,never has been in miljon years human hasn't have need to fly. Fly in your dreams instead! This i would say, but i dont fly nether never ever would support flying company by working them, they has to force me there ... they force e to do these thing for what i would kill when it is legal ... wa or other situation. Weird how STATE thinks,, forcing people to do things against their will,just empower negative emotions, weirdos go politics ...
Some of the photos need more interesting compositions and more saturation. Also, some are awkward. Also, same hipster, tats, dreads, piercings.
Another issue I have with this is that Ataturk airport remains the worst airport I've ever been to and I've been to some s****y airports. It's not so much the airport itself (it's much like any other) it's the people, they were the most unfriendliest, confusing and unhelpful people I've ever met. I know many others who hated it too.
Incredible. A photo series project that highlights the young and beautiful. Groundbreaking work. Thanks for really making me feel (like I have no money or genetically inherited good looks) and think (that this was a waste of time-- so much so that I taking more time to b*tch about it). That is really what art is all about, isn't it?
More like insanely good looking, trendy people who look like they should be on the cover of magazines...
I don´t see beautiful overweight interesting people
Fabulous Project, interesting to see the various fashion statements in clothes and Hair/Beards. Great to see so many young people travelling the world for work and volunteering. As someone else said, it would be very interesting to see older faces that have a whole history in their facial expressions. Maybe you will find some older person from Ireland since you didn't come across any young people from there. Good Luck with your Project.
But for a very few, the clarity of their gaze was inspiring. These people may well change the world, breaking down borders as they travel. Thank you.
They all seem to be between 18-30 years old, especially the women. Why is that?
I remember those days, when I wanted to do something "interesting" and "cool" with my life. And I did get to meet some interesting, artsy people, in several countries around the world. I guess now I would just look like a conservative, boring old guy to him.
All of these pictures of people who are good looking and dress a bit unconventionally. A total celebration of style over substance. Good thing that intelligence, virtue, personality and altruism doesn't matter anymore.
Lul I wish I was UNIQÜĘ enough for random people to want to photograph me at an airport