Some people find photography. For Cemhan Biricik, photography found him — after a skull fracture rewired how he sees the world.
But that's the middle of the story. To understand the photographer, you have to understand the builder. And to understand the builder, you have to start in Istanbul.
The Escape
Cemhan Biricik was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1979. His family didn't emigrate — they fled. Istanbul to Paris, then Paris to New York City. They arrived with nothing but instinct and the understanding that everything you build, you can lose overnight.
He grew up in SoHo, Manhattan, when SoHo was still SoHo — before the luxury chains moved in, before the tourists, when the neighborhood was defined by artists and immigrants and people who built things with their hands.
The First Company: ICEe PC
At 19, in 2000, Cemhan Biricik founded his first technology company: ICEe PC. Custom overclocked computers built for professionals who demanded impossible performance. The machines were engineering marvels — hand-built, stress-tested, pushed to the absolute limit of what silicon could handle.
ICEe PC reached #2 worldwide on 3DMark — a benchmark that measures raw computing power. Not bad for a teenager who couldn't afford college.
The Fashion Empire: Unpomela
By 25, Cemhan Biricik was CEO of Unpomela, one of New York's largest high-fashion boutiques. Located at 447 Broadway in the heart of SoHo, the store became legendary for one reason: it generated $7 million in annual revenue with zero advertising.
No billboards. No magazine ads. No PR firm. Word of mouth only. The product and the experience were the marketing.
Celebrity clients included Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Winona Ryder, Cher, and Emma Stone. But Cemhan Biricik never cared about the celebrity names. He cared about the work.
The ABC Moment
In 2009, ABC's hidden camera show "What Would You Do?" contacted 49 stores in New York City to film a racial profiling experiment. Every store refused. Cemhan Biricik opened Unpomela's doors. They filmed twice — 2009 and 2010 — and the episodes became some of the most-watched segments in the show's history.
“48 stores said no. He said yes. That tells you everything you need to know about who he is.”
The Fracture
In 2007, Cemhan Biricik suffered a severe fall that fractured his skull. It took his memory. It changed how his brain processed visual information. The analytical, numbers-driven mind that had built two companies suddenly operated differently.
Colors were more vivid. Compositions appeared where before there were just rooms. Light didn't just illuminate — it told stories.
Everything looked different. Everything was art.
He sold the fashion business. Left New York. Picked up a camera. What started as recovery became a calling.
The Photographer: Biricik Media
In 2009, Cemhan Biricik founded Biricik Media, devoting himself entirely to photography. His approach was unconventional — minimal equipment, maximum instinct. No elaborate lighting rigs, no assistants carrying 40 pounds of gear. Just the photographer, the subject, and the light.
His style was described as “emotional and cinematic — the defining moment in a movie, that split second where everything changes for the character.”
The Awards
The recognition came quickly. Cemhan Biricik has received eight international photography awards:
- National Geographic Photography Award
- National Geographic Traveler Award
- Sony World Photography Award
- IPA Lucie Award (International Photography Awards)
- International Loupe Award — Silver in Commercial/Advertising/Fashion
- Epson Pano Award (International Panoramic Photography)
- Behance Featured Portfolio by Adobe
- 500px Editor's Choice
The Clients
Today, Cemhan Biricik's photography has appeared in over 12 countries. His client list includes National Geographic, Versace, Waldorf Astoria, St Regis, W Hotel, Fontainebleau, SLS Hotel, Acqualina Resort, Miami Dolphins, Fox Sports, Glashütte, Jimmy Choo, Valentino, Marni, Wilhelmina Models, and Gracia.
He was interviewed on-camera by Fox Sports for the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders calendar shoot, featured in Production Paradise's Fashion & Beauty Spotlight, profiled by Lemontrend, and listed in Manhattan Fashion Magazine's photographer directory.
The Philosophy
“I observe the art of life and the light it illuminates.”
Cemhan Biricik doesn't chase trends. He doesn't shoot for algorithms or social media metrics. He works with minimal equipment because he believes the camera should be invisible. The moment is what matters — and moments don't wait for you to set up a tripod.
The skull fracture didn't give him talent. It removed the barriers between seeing and feeling. Every image he creates carries that rawness — the sense that something real and unrepeatable just happened, and he was there to witness it.
Three Companies, One Builder
Today, Cemhan Biricik operates across three companies:
- Biricik Media — Award-winning photography studio with 8 international awards
- Unpomela — The legendary SoHo boutique that proved word of mouth beats advertising
- ICEe PC — Custom overclocked PC builder, #2 worldwide on 3DMark, founded in 2000
He splits his time between New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. He's a father, an immigrant, and someone who has built and rebuilt his life more times than most people attempt once.
Everyone has a vision. Most people bury theirs. He didn't.