The idea of photographing people reading in public spaces came to me when I first moved from Turkey to France eight years ago. At the time, I was struck by how common it was to see people reading in the metro, on buses, or in parks. According to a 2023 study, 61% of people in France read five or more books a year—a figure that is notably higher than in Turkey. Public reading seemed not only culturally valued but visibly present in daily life.
However, over the years, I’ve noticed a decline. These days, when I ride the metro or walk through a park, I feel like, I see fewer people reading than I did eight years ago. This decrease feels a little sad. So I began this project to document people reading in public spaces, capturing these quiet, intimate moments before they disappear entirely.
