Persongalleriet #587: A to Z of Street Photography!

Har legat lågt med bloggandet ett par veckor. Delvis på grund av urladdningen med att blogga "live" från min Istanbulresa, men även på grund av att jag lagt tillgänglig tid på denna bildmässigt ganska omfattande artikel på deviantart.com om min dag med gatufotokollegerna Alphan Yilmazmaden och Ziaul Kareem i Istanbul. Över 100 bilder, både från mig och de andra. Och där många av bilderna visar på killarnas arbetssätt, och hur vi har fångat samma situation på våra egna sätt.

Här kan du hitta artikeln!

Ha det gott, alla!

/Niklas

Persongalleriet #585: Selfie with Cat & Hen

March 12th, 2016.
I'm used to all the stray dogs and cats here in Istanbul, but to find a hen and a cock strolling around a courtyard in the very centre of the city shook me up a bit.

The blog's title goes with this here pic:

At the other end of the yard was a male specimen of the same species. For a title for the next picture I was thinking of "Three Men and One Cock", but maybe that could be interpreted as a bit mean. What about "Three Men and a Cock", which gives us a bit of literary reference? Or maybe "Three Men and a Rooster", which should be harmless enough not to offend any sensitive viewers that might be out there somewhere??? Enough of titles, here's the photograph in question:

I'm writing this from a hotel near Sabiha Gökcen airport, so this is the last "live" blog this time around. But of course I will show more pictures from this trip and the other trips I have done and from the ones I hope will follow!

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

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 #576: The Cloth Seller Revisited

Istanbul, March 5th, 2016.
I brought Alphan and Zia with me down a steep hill in "my" part of the city to meet a man who last April asked me to take his portrait (through sign language, since he didn't speak any English). He gave me his shop's card, so I could send the pictures, I guessed. I wrote about this experience in my blog here (sorry, in Swedish...). My plan was to send him pictures, but as I have a tendency to postpone things I still hadn't gotten around to it when it was time for me to go on this trip. Well, I put my printer to work and did some A4 copies for him.

It was good to have Alphan with me as he could translate and I could hear what he thought of the picture. Alphan says he remembered me well, liked the portrait and was happy to receive the copies!

Be well, everybody!

/Niklas