On Wednesday morning, photography became an orphan. Göksin Sipahioglu passed away at the American Hospital in Neuilly. He was an explorer, mentor, the ‘papa’ of photography, friend, and adviser to a number of impressive photogaphers, including Abbas, Barthélémy, Patrick Chauvel, Marc Charuel, Françoi...

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

Göksin got interested in photography after journalism studies at the University of Istanbul. His first big reportage was carried out in October 1956 during the Sinai War. After that came Cuba, Djibouti, China, and especially May 68 which is the subject of the portfolio.

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

Göksin was fascinated by the May 68 events and covered them all, day by day, hour by hour. He was present at the very first demonstrations in early May. He was also present when Odéon and the Sorbonne were evacuated by the police force. He was even the only one to photograph the infamous ...

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

Göksin passionately loved women. All women and especially prostitutes. They fascinated him. Everywhere he went, he always took the time to visit the red light districts of the place and to photograph the women who worked there.

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

Last August, fotokluba gallery in Split, Croatia presented an exhibition of Göksin’s work. It was called “The Best off (sic) Göksin Sipahioglu”. The exhibition gathered together Göksin’s most important photographs. This was his last exhibition. Göksin was present there ...

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

It was a long time ago in the early eighties, when I was responsible for photography at Libération. We were a poor newspaper whose audience did not reflect the economic reality. We were also a daily newspaper that loved photographers and photography – it was reciprocal - and we defended a pic...

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His family name conjured the image of the spahi, the soldiers who went to war on horseback. His towering, lordly, sinewy stature made him a natural leader, both in the newsroom and on the basketball court.

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

Göksin Sipahioglu evokes for me that imposing presence worthy of deference, not only for his allure, his imposing height – 6ft tall – and his age – 30 years my senior – but also for his human qualities. This great press agency leader was above all a militant journalist at heart, an...

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

How many memories disappear with him ? It is a whole part of photographic history that disappears. It is sad, very sad. The sound of coins for the coffee machine that he sometimes used to finance a photographer’s travels to the other side of the world can be heard jingling i...

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

It’s difficult not to feel deeply moved by the passing of Göksin Sipahioglu, founder of SIPA Press and one of photojournalism’s great adventurers. Others called him “Sipa” but his photographers, even those who no longer worked for him, called him “Papa” and always spoke of him wit...

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Many male photographers and journalists will pay homage to Goksin Sipahioglu. I would have liked a woman to talk about him of his acknowledgment of the feminine other.

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

When former French President Jacques Chirac decorated Göksin with the French Legion d'Honneur in 2007, he declared: "Mr Göksin Sipahioglu, founder of Sipa Press, the greatest photo agency in the world!"

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Göksin distributed roles with his long fingers. It’s difficult to remember his words. It was in making the impressive list of those whose lives he transformed by giving them a chance (photographers, editors, writers) that we realize what a great photographic press leader he was, w...

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Göksin Sipahioglu died today. Long live the king! He was the king as a pioneer photojournalist, the king in shrewd business deals, the king at engineering a news ” coup”, the king at mentoring young talent, the king at entertaining and the king with the fairest gender. No one can ask...

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

Let's make the most of the death of Sipa to praise his sense of timing.
ounce more a wink at history as a cliché of cyclops, giant with a telescope. He died the same day as Steve Jobs, is it really happenstance ? A rendezvous ? They will surely keep company on the road to...

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Every day for more than thirty years I passed by your office on my way home to say, “Goodbye, Göksin.” Your office was the heart of SIPA. We spent three-quarters of our time there. For me it was the center of the world! With its three telephones and ten televisions set permanently...

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A friend had advised to have the films I had shot in Koweit processed in the new E6 lab of Sipa press in the Rue Roquepinne in Paris (1978). While I was looking at the results on one of the light table, a man leaned over my shoulder and looked at colorful slides of Bedouin’s...

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Göksin will be for all of us the sun of our early years. This sentence is from Alain Mingan, he knew and worked for the three mystical French Photo agencies of the 70's: Sipa, Gamma and Sigma. You can read in the French version of LaLettre his text about Goksin.

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

I am really sure of something Goksin we are going to miss you. There are many, many of us who came to see you and asked for something that had to do with the job of photography. Most of the time we were young with limited experience when we had one. To offer to go on reportage ...

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In 2008, for the release of his book on May 68, Göksin has an exhibition at Visa pour l'Image, the Festival of Photojournalism in Perpignan. On this occasion, he will give an exclusive interview to Michel Puech. You can read this interview on the French version of LaLettre.

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

I suffered great pain, very great pain, when Didier Rapaud announced the loss of Göksin Sipahioglu on Wednesday morning.
A very generous man, with immeasurable patience who welcomed me in August 1980 after six months of hell in Bangkok and who believed in me.

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

1926 Le 28 décembre, naissance à Izmir, Turquie.
Après le Lycée français Saint-Joseph d’Istanbul, il étudie le journalisme à l’Université d’Istanbul.

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

Before transfering the body of Goksin Sipahioglu from Paris to Istanbul, the hearse stopped in front of the offices of Sipa Press in Paris. Under the direction of Mete Zinioglu, the coffin was placed in the middle of the sidewalk, surrounded by employees, photographers and a few ...

10.10.2011[ read full story ]

“He didn’t always pay us very well, but we owe him a great deal.” This was Patrick Chauvel’s strong closing statement during the too brief homage paid to Göksin Sipahioglu by the organizers of the 18th edition of the Bayeux-Calvados Award for war correspondents. A short interv...

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