Persongalleriet #584: The Big Spotlight in the Sky

Trying to learn a thing or two from Master Alphan, yesterday I looked for those little spots of light that can make a subject really stand out from the background. It was a sunny day, which is almost a prerequisite, otherwise you would have to look for electric lighting to do the job. I have especially come to love indirect sunlight bouncing off a bright surface.

For this next shot, I had scouted the scene for a possible street still life, when this guy stopped me in the street and asked me to take his portrait.I asked him to go down the stairs and it turned out it was the door to his place of work!

Later in the day I found a spot with some Hollywood big screen studio lighting right in the heart of the city. The direct sun is on her back and a big, unpainted aluminium wall is shooting the sunlight right back in her face! As the background is much darker, I think the effect is pretty striking!

Now I have to get out on the streets! It's my last shooting day in Istanbul after all!

Be well, everybody!

/Niklas

Persongalleriet #583: Red Wall - Green Carpet - Blue Sky

Istanbul. March 11th, 2016.

Be well, everybody!

/Niklas

Persongalleriet #582: More Istanbul Ramblings

March 10th, 2016.
On my own again yesterday, I rambled, after blogging etcetera for the better part of the morning. After a few minutes in "my" neighborhood, I took the tram west to Yusufpaşa to retrace some steps from last year. Couldn't really find the inspiration. Had two cups of çay in an alley and decided to go ride the ferries instead. Walked to Aksaray tram stop and found this:

Rode the tram to Eminönu to catch a ferry. When I got there I felt a hunger pang already, since I had such a late start to the day. I remembered seeing the fish sandwich seller from last year close to Karaköy and decided to walk across Galata bridge to try some! Saw my own shadow as I was walking down the stairs and waited a little while to get something interesting:

At least interesting to me!  :-)

The fish sandwich guy wasn't there today, but I found a simple little restaurant which made a damn good one! Shooting didn't stop just because I was having lunch:

Here's another shot from 50 meters away:

Beyoğlu is the part of central Istanbul where I have found the most graffiti. Here's a shot where I found a "Blue" theme:

Got on the Kadıköy ferry at Karaköy (finally getting the hang of which is which!!!) Walked around for a while getting som quick shots of the passengers. Sat down with the camera in my lap to enjoy the sea view. Looked down at my tiltscreen and found something to shoot a little bit closer than that:

Getting off at Kadıköy there were some police with uzi-like machine guns. Finger on the trigger and all, so I decided to go straight back with the ferry, now to Eminönu. I don't mind police with holstered pistols, but when carrying guns like this, it seems to me a shot could go off at any moment, by mistake or otherwise.

After resting my legs for a while I took the tour of the ferry. A small band was playing the most beautiful music you can imagine!

I talked to them after. Their name is Ateş Band and HERE is their facebook page. They didn't have any record to sell at the moment, but there are some mobile phone videos on there that will give you an idea, although the super talented girl singing and playing flute is not featured in any of them. I also always love a mandolin played so well as this! I shot a short video and will post it later, but I'll first need to convert it to a format youtube accepts.

Found some more geometry I liked on this ferry:

As I was getting off the ferry I saw the people waiting to get on behind closed doors. Then I saw the reflection.

As I was buying some simit for a simple dinner in my room, these two young women started chatting me up. Of course I asked to get a picture, with simit and all!

This was turning out to be a it of a geometry day and I found one more shot like that before calling it a day:

Be well, everybody!

/Niklas

Persongalleriet #581: First Shot of the Day

Istanbul. 10th of March, 2016.
Turned left outside the hotel, walked 20 meters and shot this. Am I in streetie heaven or not?!?

Xbox.

Be well, everybody!

/Niklas

Persongalleriet #580: Free Flowers for All!

March 9th.
Yesterday was my second day with Alphan Yilmazmaden on this trip. As always very nice and inspiring! Lots and lots of shooting, but also çay and conversations about photography and life. There is a lot to process from this day. And maybe to show later in this blog and in other places. But today I will focus on one event which we happened to witness. I guess it wasn't completely random, Alphan's knowledge of his people was a big part of why we were there.

When we first came the New Mosque, Yeni Camii, Alphan quickly noticed there was a funeral of some important person today. We took a long walk through the alleys and eventually came back. The funeral was just over and the guests were entering buses to go the graveyard. In the square outside the mosque, people had put up big flowered wreaths. Now that the funeral was over, these flowers were up for grabs.

As you might see from the pics, people were really happy to help themselves! Alphan tells me the Turkish saying translates to "Free vinegar is sweeter than honey".

Be well, everybody!

/Niklas