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

Persongalleriet #579: Meeting Canan.....and Ara Güler!

Had so much fun shooting in the streets of Beşiktaş with deviant art photographer and illustrator Canan last year that it was obvious to me that I should ask if she would like to meet up again this year! And she did!  :-)

Just like last year, a day with Canan will turn into a cat day!

Walking through back streets, shooting at small scenes quickly, suddenly we had a little scare. A second after taking this next photo, my brain registered something. - Was that a gun that guy had? Sort of a Kalashnikov?
- Oh my god, did you take a picture? We will be arrested!
Canan was sure that they were police, but I thought in that case they were very civilian in their dress, maybe with the exception of the kevlar... Well, of course we had no trouble in the end.  :-)

Water Pipe Selfie.

Canan with friends.  :-)

Phone Trio.

Batwoman without her mask.

This was shot at, legendary photographer, Ara Güler's restaurant, where Canan had brought me to have lunch. The waitress told us that the owner was there and wouldn't mind seeing a visitor! I have been so shy many times in the past in situations like this, but this time I thought: Why not! I went in and saw Mr Güler sitting at a table with a woman. There was a laptop and some papers on the table. I gave my respects and asked if I could take a picture. He said yes!

Ara Güler at his restaurant. March 8th, 2016.

As I was leaving, they had a quick conversation and the woman asked if I could take a picture of them working with her phone. Of course I obliged, after Mr Güler tipped me off what position would give the best light. I consider that a 30 second workshop with one of the greatest photographers ever!  ;-)

Well, me and Canan got the food and started eating. After a little while the woman came and asked me my name. She needed it so she could give me a credit for when it was published in the book they were working on! That would be incedibly cool if it actually happens! Well it was cool that she even asked! I asked if she could email it to me and she got my email adress.

I must say I was a bit starstruck after this and still am. After all, not many days ago I was looking at Mr Güler's amazing pictures from old Istanbul at his great website!

The day was not over yet and I did some more shooting with Canan as my guide!

The Yawn.

Running Children.

Canan and Two Orange Drinks.

Flower Women.

Finished up the day by walking "with the light" in Istiklar Caddesi, walking back quickly and then with the light again. Me and Canan said our goodbyes until next time at Taxim metro station.

At the Simit Stand.

Photographer at Work.

Cola Turk.

Be well, everybody!

/Niklas

Persongalleriet #577: Shafts of Light

Today I went on a morning walk and an afternoon walk. With some rest in the hotel in between.
In the morning I walked the alleys near the hotel quite extensively, almost systematically!  :-)
First, I walked all the way down the hill to Kumkapı railway station, which was closed. Took this first Shaft of Light picture in the tunnel under the station:

No people here, so maybe more of a cityscape kind of thing than my usual street.

Found another tunnel under the railway a few blocks over:

Only two might not make very impressing series...but I'll sure look for more shafts of light in the future!

The rest of the morning was spent criss-crossing the alleys back up the hillside towards the hotel.
But those pictures will have to wait for another day!

Be well everybody!

/Niklas

Persongalleriet #575: Live Blog from Istanbul, Day 2

Today was a nice warm day with some sun, mostly the hazy kind. I spent the morning lightrooming and writing the previous blog post. I didn't get out on the streets until about noon. As I was closing the window before leaving the hotel room, I noticed two men arguing in the street right outside. Walking down the stairs I made my camera ready and shot this as I stepped out of the hotel:

Off to a decent start, I think!  :-)

I didn't really have a plan and walked randomly in some favourite blocks near the hotel. I got some shots of dogs yesterday, but today was more of a cat day.

The Beggar.

I walked downhill through some deserted alleys near the Grand Bazaar, but as I got nearer the Spice Market the streets began to fill up.

Daddy & His Girls.

I followed a street I hadn't walked before and ended up outside Sirkeci train station. I went in to see if "my" cats from last year were still there. Saw this one residing over the old engine outside.

Top Cat.

Of course, there were more cats inside. Here's one:

The Cigarette (II).

Walking down the Quai, I decided on a whim to go to Kadıköy with the ferry. Last year I only went on one return ferry ride and thinking about this trip, I had made up my mind to do it more this time around.

Yellow Love.

Arrived at Kadıköy.

Took a long walk along the waterfront, an aspect of Kadıköy I hadn't realized before. But this was a Sunday and lots of people were enjoying the sea views.

Balloons.

Back at the Ferry Terminal.

Ferry to Eminönu.

Once at Eminönu it is of course impossible not too shoot some more, even though the body aches and the belly is empty.

Galata Selfie.

Dinner was a chicken dürüm wrap and a banana.

Be well, everybody!

/Niklas

Persongalleriet #574: Back in Istanbul, Day 1

Eleven hours of pure street photography fun!

I met up with Canadian street wiz Zia Kareem at nine at his hotel, which was quite close to the Blue Mosque. His daughter also joined us and we had a good chat. A coffee and çay later and Alphan Yilmazmaden also arrived and we could get started with a photo walk of epic proportions!  :-)

Alphan, Fuji, Zia and Sony at the start of the day!

Shooting has begun! Taking pictures, talking, watching the others as they work....so inspiring!  :-)

Dogs on the Tracks.
We started off going west along those tracks towards the Grand Bazaar.

The guys going about their business.

Young Man & Oranges.

Alphan and Bread.
We did a short detour (I'll get back to the reason for that in a later blog post) in the area close to my hotel, situated across the tram tracks from the south entrance to the Grand Bazaar.

After that we decided to go to the roman aqueduct and the butcher's district, where I had such a good time last year. To get there we walked through the University area.

Istanbul dogs are free to roam the streets.

Butcher's District: Zia and the Smiling Sheep Heads.

Street Photography at its best!.......it's got both Alphan AND Zia in it!   :-)  :-)

We walked down the hill towards Eminönu (the epicenter of the world of street photography, if you ask me!). Walked through som crowded, very crowded and completely-packed-until-nobody-could-move-crowded alleys to get there.

Happy on a Blue Bike.
This alley was just crowded.

Here's a shot from the very crowded alley.

This is from when it got REALLY crowded.

Finally at Eminönu, we had some glorious shooting!

Yes! That is Brother Alphan in the background!

Of course, after all this we needed some coffee and çay and a debriefing, looking a little at what we got.

And, of course, there is a LOT more to show and tell about this day. I will do that in future blogs here at fotosidan.se and in journals at deviantart.com.

Just one more picture for the road!

Be well everybody!

/Niklas