Dar Yaskil (b. New York City) is a documentary photographer who came into the field of photography after a decade-long career as a city planner. Her long-term work centers on documenting changing industries and the impact it has on communities and the built environment. She is currently documenting the decline of the Diamond District in New York City.
After receiving her Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and Planning from the University of Michigan, she worked on affordable housing issues in New York City at the Urban Justice Center and Breaking Ground. In 2010, she was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach at Kirklareli University in Turkey. In 2014, she earned her Master’s in City Planning from MIT. Upon graduating, she began working for New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) where she led affordable housing preservation and sustainability initiatives for nearly 7 years.
She is a recent graduate of the documentary practice and visual journalism program at the International Center of Photography. She resides in Brooklyn, New York.
