Istanbul

Marvellous photos Iain. I love the lighting in image 4.
 
Sorry to hear this threads coming to an end
Digimonkey said:
Non muslims are not allowed in during the five mandatory attendances for salah each day.
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Goes to show that religion ultimately divides rather than unifies.
Digimonkey said:
the Greeks used to call the place Nicaea, a lovely irony if you know your early church history.
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The birth place of the Universal church. How many Christian sects are there now?
 

@Rufus - thank you - yes, the quality of the food was a revelation in Istanbul. The eating culture also. On our first visit there we had dinner on the lower deck of the Galata bridge - in a seafood restaurant - what else would you find there?. There was a family next to us that were having dessert and coffee when we arrived but dallied so long they started again on the meze. They had an other full meal. We left before them. We hadn't learned to hold our raki at that point but got up to speed pretty quickly. Your pour the raki first - ice second. It's a wonderful place but I don't think they have their sorrows to seek at the moment. I've met people that couldn't deal with the city - it's quite 'in your face', not for the faint hearted - but we are Glaswegian - it's kind of similar. Thanks again - I.
 
I have dabbled with photography. When I travelled around Turkey I had a second hand Pracktica MTL3 and I thought I had captured some good images. But on returning to the UK and comparing photos with my then girlfriend, I realised that I just wasn't 'seeing' in the way she was. My photos were your standard tourist shots. Her photos somehow captured the essence of Turkey and it's people. I admire that ability. While I spent 5 minutes trying to decide which F stop or shutter speed to use, she had taken 4 or 5 shots instinctively. So I suppose what I am saying is...you have a remarkable skill Iain. You make capturing astounding images sound easy. It isn't. Your other remarkable skill is self deprecation.
 

The more you practise the easier it gets. Trust me. It's inherent in all of us. I take your point though - I have learned how to make pictures over the years that will be attractive to the viewer. There are certain ratios and situations that are hard wired into every human brain. More importantly the pictures that sell and pay for me to do the depressing, self obsessed black and white pish. The sort of stuff you are seeing. We can all do it. I say again - it's not hard. Do you know your Sherlock Holmes? Watson - people see but they do not observe. That's the trick. You need to observe and - I would have to say - put something of yourself into the picture. Intellectually - not actually. Oh - and get a decent camera! Yours - I.
 
A second hand MTL3 was all I could afford at the time! Actually, it's probably all I can afford now since discovering this forum. I do understand your point Iain. But I wouldn't ever get beyond the point of technical proficiency. I might see, but not observe. Visually speaking at least. I tend to reflect and my natural response is to write rather than make images. Even if I were to try to make images from any reflections they would be entirely derivative. So I would rather admire the skill of others.
 
William Dobson said:
God is in the details. Great stuff.
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I was taken by your comment - 'God is in the details' - it reminded me of a conversation I had with a lecturer when studying theology at University. He was a Sufi Muslim and the poor man had been tasked with helping me understand some of the more obscure concepts in Islamic theology - not obscure if you are a Muslim but obscure if you were me. The subject was Tawhid - the ubiquity of god - Al-Ahad and Al-Wahid. I wasn't getting it. He knew I traveled in Spain frequently and was trying to use the example of the Islamic geometric tiles that are common in Spain and particularly in Andalusia. I'm sure you know what I am talking about. God is in the angles he explained - these are not just pretty patterns, a response to a prohibition on figurative art. They are a religious expression in their own right. No - I still didn't get it. He changed tack - God is in the light. Bang - eureka moment. I finally understood. Most importantly he marked my essay on the subject very generously. Ha ha. I have never had any personal faith but I'm sure the understanding of the idea has made me a better photographer than I was before. cheers - I.

@William Dobson
 
Istanbul Day 6 - a mixed bag to end the thread









Picture 1 -

The resurrection panel on the roof of the church of the 'Holy Saviour in Chora.' The church probably has the best surviving Byzantine mosaics today in the city. The building was founded in the 4th c. but had to be rebuilt after an earthquake in the 12th c. - the decorations are mid 14th c. Again we have Muslims to thank for their survival. They just plastered over them when it was converted into a mosque. The church is in a western suburb of Istanbul - well off the normal tourist radar. It was highly enjoyable finding it. You get a tram to the end of the line and then follow the Theodosian wall until you get to the correct gate and then plunge into the suburbs of Istanbul. A world apart from tourist Istanbul. Great fun. The word at the top of the picture translates as 'anastasis' - literally, against death, but better understood as resurrection - the figures emerging from their tombs are Adam and Eve. Judgement day.

Picture 2 -

Again - Saint Saviour in Chora - @Blademonkey - the hand gestures of the Christos are important in Orthodox art - in this case they mean 'the land of the living' - I think best interpreted as eternally living. They are a bit rubbish though? There must be a reason for this? Maybe, it's like Egyptian hieroglyphs and their depiction of feet?

Picture 3 -

Shot through the window of a coffee shop in the European quarter - I don't know why I like this picture so much. It looks timeless?

Picture 4 -

Let's end on a personal note. That's my wife with her new best friend. In the precincts of the Hagia Sophia. Istanbul is thick with stray - if not - feral cats. I had never seen this before - she hates cats but this guy made it under the radar. I can still hear him purring. It didn't stop her bitching about the amount of cat hair on her - expensive - Spanish jacket during dinner.

If you have come this far on this thread, thank you. I'm grateful you craved my indulgence. It's been an interesting experience for me. Looking back over archive pictures I had entirely forgotten about.

Thank you again - I hope you enjoyed the pictures - cheers - I.

@Floid_Maniac @Rufus @William Dobson @Boru62 @Helveticum
 

That cat looks well contented, a moment of affection and safety.
 
Thanks @Digimonkey, a thoroughly enjoyable and educational thread, I'm sorry it's over.
 
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