Istanbul this summer

[RML]

This July, we're going on vacation to Istanbul.

Tell me all about that city! What to see, what to do, what to shoot, where to go, places to eat, etc. And are there any cheap camera/photography places? What are no-no's in the city?

 

[Taqi]

Ahh memories...

Seriously one of the wondrous cities of the world... it has been some years (20 I think) so I'm unable to give practical tips I'm afraid, but how about this:

Hagya Sophia, upstairs in the gallery, put the camera on the stone ledge, slow film, longish exposure, burn in the shafts of light when you print, and you will see the work of Allah, God, Jehovah.

Must dig out those old negatives...

Edit - Oh and the book Constantinople City of the World's Desire, by Philip Mansel is a good read - really brings the history of the place alive (and there are some most remarkable historical artifacts just lying around... )

 

[Doug]

Remi, I expect you'll have fun there despite that my recollections of Istanbul are 43 years into the past, so I have no up-to-date suggestions. I enjoyed poking around in the Topkapi Serai, the old palace with treasury room, etc. Movie "Topkapi" actually filmed there, a humorous suspense caper with Peter Ustinov and Melina Mercouri.

 

[terrafirmanada]

Istanbul by Orhan Pamuk is also a good read.

 

[nksyoon]

I've posted this before, but here's my gallery of Istanbul photos on Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nksyoon/sets/1789053/detail/

As a slideshow:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nksyoon/sets/1789053/show/

 

[RML]

Good tips, guys.

Any more?