Photographer Adem Sönmez, one of the first to photograph Mount Nemrut in Türkiye, reflects on 32 years of documenting its natural and cultural significance. Sönmez first visited Nemrut, located in Bitlis’ Tatvan district, in 1983, capturing his iconic panoramic image in 1992. Over the decades, the region has seen both increased tourism and conservation efforts, but Nemrut’s landscape has changed considerably.
Sönmez shared his experiences with younger visitors, showing them his original photograph and explaining how he captured it without modern technology. He noted that back then, photo editing tools were scarce, requiring him to pay $500 to stitch images manually, compared to today’s free digital solutions. His iconic images helped introduce Nemrut to the world, contributing to its growing recognition as a historical and natural wonder.