Istanbul

kully

kully

Happy Snapper
Local time
10:11 AM
Joined
May 4, 2006
Messages
2,504
Location
England
View My Gallery
Hallo,

I've found out I'll be in Istanbul for two weeks a week Saturday...

Anyone in Istanbul fancy a mini-meet? Want me to smuggle you some film/gear? I can be your dealer... 😉

Now comes the delicious time of deciding what to take and what to see, I'd be glad of any suggestions. I noticed from the old thread (from late last year) that 400 speed film was recommended, I was planning on taking Reala100 - was 400+ recommended for the time of year or because of over-bearing buildings taking the light?

So far I've decided on:

M2+(CV40/1.4 or CV50/1.5)
IIIa+CV21/4

Reala100 and HP5+ for film wondering whether some Velvia50 too.

Still on the fence about the Rolleiflex with HP5+, I took it on holiday last week and used it for 4 frames only.

And I have the option of taking an M3+135/4.5 Hektor.

Does anyone have ideas on dev only prices for C41?


Cheers in advance,
kully
 
Kully,
Istanbul and Damascus share similiarities in what you need for photography situations there. I am now using 400 and 100 ASA film with 28/3.5 50/1.4 90/4. Keep things simple. Take with you plenty of film. Make your camera bag not look like a camera bag. Thefts are not uncommon in Istanbul. It is a daily thing, so beware. I am using a small camera backpack that nobody suspects of housing camera gear.

Register with the State Department. It can save you trouble if things go bad there for you.

I always develop the film in the USA after my return from a trip.
 
Thanks for the comparison Raid - I've been to Damascus so that's given me something to visualise - high-contrast, bright plaza's, dim souk's and alleyways in deep shade.

I'll leave the new Domke at home and take the dirty Hadley.
 
Hi Kully, I'm jealous of your trip. Went there for two days only in April of 2004 and just hit a few of the typical touristy sights, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkepi palace, which was awesome and rather dark. One of my favorite pictures from the trip, though, was of a Benneton ad at a bus stop in front of a moque--loved the juxtaposition. Have fun, and post pictures upon your return.
 
The interior of the Grand Bazaar is pretty dark; the spice market down the hill is dark too. Great subjects, though. Likewise Ayia Sofia. Incredible!

To tell the truth, I didn't like Istanbul much: I must have spent too much time in Malta and Greece, and besides, when we landed, a customs official stole £10 (UK) off me. He was a cartoon Turkish official: fat. ill-shaven, in a badly fitting uniform. DO NOT hand the visa fee over in your passport!

It was a shame that I got off to such a bad start, because the vast majority of Turks we met subsequently were charming, polite, honest, etc.

But I got great pictures, especially at night (fast film again...)

Cheers,

Roger
 
Istanbul is a beautiful city!!!
I suggest you to visit, besides the traditional places, also the district "on the other side" of the Bosphorus channel: it's a different city, more real, less touristic.

And turkish people are really nice: you'll probably end loving the elma cai (apple tea) served in the tulip glasses, because many people will offer you a cup of it.
 
Istanbul is one of my favourite places for street photography. I was there three times and I liked it better each time. I traveled arround all of Europe, India, Morrocco, etc, but I found that Istanbul is my favourite place. It has a little bit of everything. And the mixture is interesant in itself.
You find ancient ruins like in Rome, bizantine buildings, oriental daylife, and occidental nightlife. And even for shoping. I don't recall seing in any other place four stores close to each other with Leica gear in the window. And 10-15% cheaper than in Germany.
The best neigbourhood for street pics is Beyoglu, the new part of European Istanbul. Around Istiklal street is like a paradise for all voyeurstic snappers here. 🙂 This street bears 2 million passers each day!!! And it is very alive. Especially the narrow streets flowing from Istiklal street.
The most important thing is that nobody is bothered by photographers. More often you will hear a "thank you" if someone see you photographing them. It is excelent. And, I was never asked for money in exchange of taking photographs.
If you want to see some of my photos taken there check out my gallery here:
http://www.stefandinu.ro
And a teaser with some street art:
1.jpg
 
My Tips

My Tips

There are many cases where ISO 400 is useful:
- Indoor shots in museums, bazaars, etc.
- Night shots in well lighted areas Beyoglu, Kumkapi

Kumkapi is an area of small "quaint" restaurants with traveling musicians.

Also, while visiting Topkapi Museum, Aya Sofia, and Blue Mosque, take a half hour tour of the underground cisterns (Yerebatan Saranci) just a few steps away.

There used to be ferry boat tours up and down the Bosphorous for around US$5, as I recall. Lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I never had any problems having C-41 developed at the 1 hour photo shops around Beyoglu.
 
What dates are you going to be here and do you know where you will be staying? If I am around and can manage it I would like to meet up with you , not long ago I spent about four hours with branki another RFF'er and we managed some night shots.

Here I look as much like a tourist as you will and I manage to get into some back street neighborhoods and have never experienced problems, I carry my stuff in a olive drab nondescript messenger bag.

Times have changed a lot here, now when you through the jetway headed toward customs go first to the window for visas, just hand them the money and get the stamp for your passport then move over to customs, a simple process for the thousands of tourists arriving here each day.
 
Last edited:
Thos post couldn't come at a better time, as my wife and I are planning a trip there for 7 days in the middle of October. We'll be staying in Sultanahmet. Our first overseas vacation in two years and we are so looking forward to it!
 
Keith, the same applies as I mentioned to Kully. It may also interest you that I grew up in Connecticut would go into NYC for both business and pleasure and also now when I get back to the States.

Here in Istanbul you find a mixture of the very old and the new, for example the "New Mosque" was built from 1597 to 1663.
 
Kully,
Do yourself a favor when you are there and visit some of the less known and touristed neighborhoods. The area around the Hippodrome is tout central and it can get tiring. Grand Bazaar, too, though if you wander the side streets in the same district, you'll see a lot and have a good time. Take a water taxi ride on the Golden Horn. It's an almost-free tour boat and you can stop and explore the neighborhoods around there. I always preferred the spice bazaar to the Grand Bazaar, it's a little more gritty and the waterfront location is extremely picturesque. Make sure you cross the Horn over the bridge and explore the area up to Taksim...it's totally hip and modern and an interesting contrast.

Enjoy the tea! You'll get offers pretty much everywhere, even waiting in line in a bank. It's a kind of social currency there. I've spend about seven weeks in Turkey on two separate occasions and would go back again and again. Great people. Istanbul is an amazingly charming city if you can appreciate the thriving decay. Maybe you'll see what I mean.

Google Ara Guler for a native photojournalist's take on Turkey. Wonderful stuff, and I think he shoots rangefinders.
 
I don't want it to sound like the culture is decaying. I actually think the opposite. It's just that the city, or parts of it, are. It's an astoundingly old place, with lots of layers and foundations upon foundations and you get the sense of a thriving place on top of a lot of ruins. It's very cool, and hard to explain. Kully, you tell us if you agree in a few weeks!
 
No, I know what you mean, I think. The modern is often right on top of the ancient in Istanbul, and that goes for both the architecture and the people, too. I don't know how they make it work, but they do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jbielikowski
Back to Istanbul (not Constantinople)
2
Replies
30
Views
4K
jbielikowski
jbielikowski
R
MassiveDev, Rodinal, HP5+ Confusion
Replies
8
Views
826
raduray
R
M
HP5+....HC-110....grain
2 3
Replies
54
Views
3K
FotohuisR
FotohuisR
maigo
Italy Travel with Digital and Film.
2
Replies
22
Views
3K
agentlossing
agentlossing
F
Ernst Leitz yellow / orange / yellow-green filter compensations with Ilford FP4 and HP5
Replies
18
Views
1K
Rob-F
Rob-F
Back
Top Bottom