ABDULLAH CHAKMAKCHI
I’m a street photographer based in southwest England with over a decade of experience behind the lens. My journey began in 2012 when I picked up my first DSLR and hit the streets to capture candid moments of everyday life. While I briefly shifted my focus to portraits and landscapes, I rediscovered my love for street photography in 2019—and I haven’t looked back since.
These days, I primarily document life as it unfolds on the streets of Devon, Cornwall, and other UK cities, but my passion for travel often takes me to new corners of the world, where I seek out stories waiting to be told through my lens. Though I occasionally explore portraits and landscapes, candid street photography remains my calling.
I draw inspiration from legends like Garry Winogrand, Ricky Powell, Peter Lindbergh, Bill Cunningham, and Daniel Arnold. Armed with my Leica and a trusty 28mm lens, I love getting close to the action, capturing moments that reveal the streets' beauty, fashion, and raw authenticity. For me, it’s all about telling a story with each frame.
Before photography, I dreamed of creating a record label—an idea inspired by my family’s rich entrepreneurial history. In 1918, my great-grandfather founded Chakmakchi Phon, a groundbreaking record label in Iraq. Watching my grandfather expand that legacy left a lasting impression on me and sparked my fascination with business and marketing, a field I studied extensively.
In addition to photography, I share my craft and process through my growing YouTube channel. There, I provide an inside look at candid street photography in Devon, Cornwall, across the UK, and beyond. My goal is to inspire others to pick up a camera and embrace the art of storytelling through photography.
Outside of photography, I’m a wrestling enthusiast, a lifelong fan of old-school hip-hop (from Run-DMC to the Beastie Boys), an avid non-fiction reader, and a dedicated coffee drinker—never a day goes by without a cup! I thrive on spending time outdoors, meeting new people, and continuing to learn and grow in both photography and business.
I am an individualist, forging my path and learning from my experiences. The world is far too exciting to follow the crowd. As Ricky Powell once said, “When you put your pants on and get out of the house, anything is possible.”
My ultimate goal is to create a visual time capsule for future generations, showcasing how the world has evolved and capturing the essence of the people and moments that make life extraordinary.