Photographing people in Istanbul, Turkey

[scorpius73]

I'm off to Istanbul today. I plan to do a little street photography. Are there any off limit things that I should be aware of while photographing people on the streets of Istanbul? Thanks.

 

[morback]

It will be quite clear if they're ok with it or not. There's no general rule, just be perceptive.

Also, you can always ask them: [fotografinize tshekibilirmiem?] 😀

They're nice people.
Enjoy.

 

[Roger Hicks]

It will be quite clear if they're ok with it or not. There's no general rule, just be perceptive.

Also, you can always ask them: [fotografinize tshekibilirmiem?] 😀

They're nice people.
Enjoy.

Seconded. Much like anywhere else, really. Except perhaps the more paranoid cities in Britain and the United States, where it's almost becoming the default value for people to get angry about being photographed.

Cheers,

R.

 

[scorpius73]

Thanks. I will take notice.

 

[teo]

Ah... you're turning the knife in my wound about a missed photo... :bang:
This summer I was in Istambul, wandering in the tin area (there are some areas, where they sell exclusively textile, or glass, or musical instruments, or electronic, or even only plastic) and I saw... the tin man!
An old man who just finished plating something, and he was entirely covered in metal!
I missed the photo just because was too shy to stop and talk to him and ask for a photo... 🙁

Have fun! Don't be shy to photograph turkish, they're friendly! 😀

 

[morback]

Ah... you're turning the knife in my wound about a missed photo... :bang:
This summer I was in Istambul, wandering in the tin area (there are some areas, where they sell exclusively textile, or glass, or musical instruments, or electronic, or even only plastic) and I saw... the tin man!
An old man who just finished plating something, and he was entirely covered in metal!
I missed the photo just because was too shy to stop and talk to him and ask for a photo... 🙁

Have fun! Don't be shy to photograph turkish, they're friendly! 😀

If you tell me where it was I might track him down for you 🙂

Richard (Semrich) has been talking to me about a "smelter" that works in a hole in the old city wall by the Golden Horn right behind the Galata bridge...

Could it be that person? I have to admit I don't know where the "tin" district is...

m.

 

[teo]

Heh, it would be nice 🙂
It was behind the Solimano Mosque (Sülemaniye camii), where the road ends there is a famous old hammam... I can't say more, sorry

 

[semrich]

Richard (Semrich) has been talking to me about a "smelter" that works in a hole in the old city wall by the Golden Horn right behind the Galata bridge..

This is the guy I was telling Martin about, it is his small foundry business. I have been going by there each time I go out shooting and finally he was there and I got this shot. I just walked in and just stood there taking shot after shot, nothing was said they just kept working, I kept shooting. When I had enough shots I nodded at them and moved on, no problem. Also bear in mind that this was not an often visited tourist area, just near enough to one where people wandering with cameras is not to strange.

Now I want to go back with a little wider and faster lens and get some more if he is there.

And for scorpius73, if he is still following this thread while away, I've been shooting people on the street for 5 years now and have never had any problems and I look like a tourist, I'm not Turkish.

 

[teo]

Mmm, I remember an older and slimmer guy, probably there's more than one "tin man" 🙂

 

[smbilgin]

Yeah, Turkish people usually eat tourists alive 🙂

Don't be so scared friend. I am Turkish and I've been to 7 countries in Europe and 3 in Far Asia and taken thousands of photo in those countries; all I can say there is not much difference to take photo in Turkey. Of course for me it is easier to do in my country but all I can say is unless you look like some kind of pervert, you won't have any problems like anywhere else. I have never heard any complaints from any tourist in Turkey about taking photograph on the streets..

Some little advice; around Blue Mosque, Beyazit (Grand Bazar), University of Istanbul, Eminonu, Sirkeci (close to Golden Horn) are very good places to take some landscape photos as well as portraits. Taksim Square, Istiklal Caddesi (Istiklal Street) and Galata Tower route is of course one place you should visit but if you have time you can spend some time around Istiklal Caddesi but also on back streets. There are a lot of nice bars and cafe's there, so the whole place is quite ideal for street photography.

Turkish people are mostly very friendly; if you look sympathetic and normal you will really enjoy your visit for sure.

Here are some of my photos (mostly taken in Istanbul), so you can have some opinion about the places and the Turkish people.

http://picasaweb.google.com/salih.mustafa.bilgin

I wish you a happy holiday. Enjoy 🙂