Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Istanbul

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week: “Shadow’s Hand”

flickr istanbul-1

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in Istanbul, Turkey at the Fatih Mosque near Çarşamba. The mosque has a large courtyard where people gather and relax during the day. Facing the courtyard, it also has a very long wall of seats and fountains for washing your hands and feet, a Muslim ritual called wudu. On this day, the light was extra bright and casting strong shadows of the people washing there. I noticed this lady, covered in all black, almost matching her shadow and creating an interesting effect. So I got up close and made a few shots hoping to capture her shadow doing something that made it look almost like a separate person. This is the shot I liked the most since it gives the look that her shadow is reaching out towards her. I normally only shoot color, but I had to edit this one in black and white since it fit the image so much better.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/16
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 400
  • Focal Length: 35mm

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week: “Garbage Can Selfie”

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Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in Istanbul, Turkey in Eminönü by the Galata Bridge. I was walking by the seafront where they sell all the fish sandwiches and just before walking up the steps to the bridge I noticed these three girls taking selfies. They were sitting on the normally crowded steps, but at this time no one was around them. For whatever reason they were huddled together behind a garbage can while taking selfies, which created an amusing scene. I knew as soon as they saw me, they’d probably stop so I tried getting as close as possible and quickly taking the shot before it disappeared. I also tried to get their faces framed inside the garbage can as much as I could and this shot was taken at the exact distance they first noticed me. They quickly stopped their garbage can hidden selfies, but as soon as I was up the stairs above, they were back at it.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/350
  • ISO: 400
  • Focal Length: 35mm

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week: “A Long Day”

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Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in Istanbul, Turkey by Taksim Square. It was the end of a very hot day in Istanbul and I was walking home by Taksim Square. While walking across the street, out of the corner of my eye I noticed this group of people sitting on the outside steps of an orange-colored bank. What caught my eye was that all five them of them had their hand on their face in a similar look of exhaustion from the long, hot day. So I very quickly walked over and made the shot as fast as possible before any of them changed their gesture. Luckily, I captured it just in time before they did.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/350
  • ISO: 400
  • Focal Length: 35mm

33 Street Photography Photos That Will Make You Want To Visit Istanbul

33-ISTANBUL-COVER

 

I’ve been staying in Istanbul, Turkey for the last couple months now and living here has been an experience like no other city I’ve been to before. Istanbul is a mix of so many characteristics, it’s hard to put it all into words. It’s just a place you need to experience for yourself. 

When it comes to capturing life, there’s not many cities with as much of it as Istanbul. I always have my camera on me here and spend most of my days walking the many districts seeing what I can capture. Istanbul would definitely make my top cities in the world list so here are some Street Photos I’ve taken so far that will hopefully give you a look into why it’s a place you need to visit too.

33 Street Photography Photos from Istanbul, Turkey

Starting in Taksim Square…

[Read more…] about 33 Street Photography Photos That Will Make You Want To Visit Istanbul

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week: “Light & Shadow Under Galata”

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Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in Eminönü by the Galata Bridge in Istanbul. In the evening, just outside of the tunnel walkway that goes under the Galata Bridge, you can get this great lighting that highlights the people against the shadow of the tunnel. The sunlight hits the opening of the tunnel perfectly and creates this natural effect. I love what natural light can do and it’s a great spot to play around with it to see what you can capture. I just make sure I expose for the highlights and wait for opportunities where it’s not too crowded so I can create some separation with the shadow. Here’s a recent shot from this spot that also shows what this type of light does to bring out color.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 400
  • Focal Length: 35mm

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week: “Young & Old”

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Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in the Balat neighborhood of Istanbul. I was walking the streets of this colorful neighborhood, away from the more touristic parts of Balat, when I spotted the girl standing in the window. I walked over at the same time as the old man was getting his keys to open the door to the apartment building. I liked the juxtaposition of the man at the door by the girl at the window, but lucked out  when the girl started to climb back inside the window just as the man turned to go inside the door. So I tried to capture the scene at the moment they mirrored each other.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Shutter Speed: 1/350
  • ISO: 400
  • Focal Length: 35mm

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week: “Window Cleaner”

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Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in the Tophane neighborhood in the Beyoglu district of Istanbul. There’s a park I walk through when I take this way home. On the street just outside the park I noticed a woman cleaning her window. She was putting noticeable effort into cleaning it and had no fear as she hopped up and walked along the outside edge to clean the outside. I liked the monotone colors of the building and her clothes along with the look of her in the bottom left window’s edge. So I walked over and took a few photos, but liked this one best when she made eye contact with my camera. For me, there’s a little of a surreal, old suspense movie like vibe to it.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/250
  • ISO: 200
  • Focal Length: 35mm

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week: “Boy in the Car”

 

shooter files istanbul-5

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in the Levent district of Istanbul. While walking across a busy street I noticed a little boy looking at me through the window of a car that was momentarily stopped in traffic. It was dark inside the car, but he was close enough to the window that his face was slightly lit up. His expression caught my eye and there was something interesting about how he looked in the old car window. It all happened so quickly, as I weaved across traffic, that I just reacted and took the shot without time to think. And then just like that, the car and boy were gone.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/8
  • Shutter Speed: 1/250
  • ISO: 400
  • Focal Length: 35mm

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week: “Tiara in Turkey”

shooter files istanbul

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was actually taken outside of Istanbul in a smaller town called Bozüyük. I was invited there for the weekend by a local friend to join in some traditional family celebrations. I didn’t get a chance to take many photos while I was there, but I tried to bring my camera along with me most of the time. While we were walking in his neighborhood, I noticed this little girl all dressed up in a fancy white dress and tiara. She was with her mother, who was dressed in a colorful traditional outfit, while waiting for their ride outside of a dress shop. Maybe it was the gloomy weather, but they seemed sad for some reason. Right before their car ride pulled up to take them away, I quickly took this photo of them.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/8
  • Shutter Speed: 1/250
  • ISO: 400
  • Focal Length: 35mm

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Work & Love”

"Work & Love" | Istanbul, Turkey
“Work & Love” | Istanbul, Turkey

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken on the Galata Bridge in Istanbul. I was walking home from Fatih along the bridge and noticed the man working right above the young couple below. I liked the juxtaposition of work and love along with the staircase forming a division of the two worlds in the frame. Istanbul is such a busy city, but here were some people going about their different lives away from the chaotic crowds above.

Stats:

  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/350
  • ISO: 400
  • Focal Length: 35mm