That Moment
Street photography or taking photographs on the streets, is one the genres I am in love with. There are basically a couple reasons for it.
Dynamism. There is so much happening around you and you do not have control over. Humans, light, shadows are literally flowing and the challenge is to get into harmony with them. In time, you adopt to the dynamism and start to see things differently. You develop an eye, like a 6th sense of what's going to happen or what can happen around you. You choose your spot and wait for the creation.
Diversity. Streets are lively. So many different clothes, colors, objects and buildings are ready for you. Some move, some stay still and some change skin with the light. Endless combinations make it so exciting. Millions of shots to choose from. All you need is patience and a bit of luck.
In the end, what you create is based on what you are seeking for. Juxtaposition, decisive moments, minimalism, beauty or shadow play. Streets are your canvas.
This is a collection presenting some of my photography on streets where "that moment" is very very hard to come by again.
The Intersection
The Kocatepe Mosque is the largest mosque in Ankara, Turkey. It was built between 1967 and 1987 in the Kocatepe quarter in Kızılay, and its size and prominent situation have made it a landmark that can be seen from almost anywhere in central Ankara. Its garden is tiled in marbles and as the sun goes down, combination of light and the texture creates a beautiful, minimal canvas for a photograph.
As hard as it is to shoot under the sun, the shadows appear so beautifully that it makes it so hard to leave the place. The dove came out of nowhere into the scene as I pressed the shutter. It flew so close to the walking guy as if it was trying to play a game with him.
Taken on September 04, 2018 at Ankara, Turkey.
W/ FujiFilm XPro 2 Camera and XF10-24mmF4 R OIS lens
5812×3875 px
300 dpi
The Following
In 2018, I was working on a blog project for Logo Business Solutions, the biggest software company in Turkey. I traveled to different cities to meet with their vendors, listen to their story of their partnership with Logo, interview and photograph them and write a post telling their business journey.
After I have completed the process for their vendor in Urfa, I decided to take the late afternoon and go out for some photography. While wandering in the historical city center of Urfa, which is one of the oldest provinces in Turkey, I saw the guy in the photograph and noticed that two pet sheep were following him. After I took the shot and they had passed by me, I caught up with him and talked to him. He said he raised and trained the sheep (I do not know how that’s possible) after their mother died giving birth to them. Sheep had some accessories on them and they were actually listening to his commands.
It was truly one of the most unique moments I have came across on the streets.
The Crash
Cape of Fenerbahçe is one of the memorable places of my childhood. My grandfather used to take me there almost every weekend. It has one of the beautiful parks in Istanbul. This photograph is taken on a platform at the entrance of the park.
Event though the sea is calm, sometimes a ship or boat passes by and its wave reaches the shore a few minutes later. If you do not notice the boat passing by, the crash of the wave might get you wet.
The puddles on the ground was formed after the rain and it is so magical that due to the shape of the ground, the head of the subject just disappears in the reflection.
Taken on December 21, 2019 at İstanbul, Turkey.
W/ FujiFilm XPro 2 Camera and XF10-24mmF4 R OIS lens
5650×3767 px
300 dpi
Catch The Ferry
I was around the Kadıköy area of Istanbul on that morning. Before I left home, I saw the clouds and the chance of rain, so I took my rain coat with me. Sun was blinking occasionally but after I got there, dark and low clouds came over. It was probably one of the craziest rains I have ever seen.
I had no umbrella and had nowhere to wait out the rain. Hardest thing was to take the shot without getting the camera visor wet. Nobody was really out walking due to the heavy rain but I saw this man running so fast to the ferry station. He had no coat, no umbrella and was trying to catch the ferry to Beşiktaş, as the ferry was about to dock.
I did not care much about being soaked because this photograph became one of my favorites.
Taken on August 15, 2022 at İstanbul, Turkey.
W/ FujiFilm XPro 2 Camera and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR lens
4705×3137 px
300 dpi
Hungry
Kumkapı Fish Market is one of the unique places in Istanbul. Fishermen bring their fish to the cold warehouses and they are auctioned by the restaurants and markets. You can go there to have delicious and fresh, seasonal fish at the same time, in the restaurants that are also in the facility.
It is very close to the ferry station of Yenikapı. I was there to meet my father coming to İstanbul with the ferry. Being there really early to meet him, I decided to walk around the fish market and had my camera with me.
It was 9 am and the fish market was just opening. While walking around the place in the backyards of the restaurants, I noticed the swordfish hung on the wall to dry. Probably it was some kind of a process to make use of what’s left of the big fish. As I was adjusting my camera to take a photo, a kitten just walked in the scene and sat there infant of the fish. It was like owning the scene saying: “I ate all the fish and I am still hungry”.
Such a unique moment to take the shot.
Taken on August 03, 2022 at İstanbul, Turkey.
W/ FujiFilm XPro 2 Camera and XF10-24mmF4 R OIS lens
6000×4000 px
300 dpi
Score Or Not
Recently, I was on a holiday around Çanakkale, a beautiful part of western Turkey, with a coast to Aegean Sea. We stayed in a very small village in the forest, 15 kms to the nearest town. The nearest town was Ayvacik, with approximately 13.000 population.
Right outside the town, there was a football (soccer) facility, built by the municipality of Ayvacik. From the status of the building and surroundings, it looked like it has never been active. I asked around about the facility after I took the shot and I learned that it has been built but never rented to anyone for business. So, it was like an abandoned facility, except the children of the neighborhood had a field to play football for free.
The sun was setting when I got there and the kids had an older brother/friend with them who was a goal keeper, playing for a local team. He just was there to practice with the kids, teach them techniques and having fun with them. When they saw the camera, it brought them out of their natural attitude, so I had to sit there and wait for half hour for them to forget about me.
As I watched them, I remembered my own childhood, great fan of football, the times we used to play on the streets, the excitement.
The particular shoot in the photograph, if it was a score or not, I will leave the the decision to the audience.
Taken on July 05, 2022 at Çanakkale, Turkey.
W/ FujiFilm XPro 2 Camera and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR lens
5678×3785 px
300 dpi
In Clouds On Ground
Kars station is a railway station, serving the eastern Turkish city of Kars. It is one of the easternmost stations on the Trans-Anatolian railway. The Eastern Express services Kars once a day to İstanbul. Between 1993 and 2011, there was no train service east of Kars due to the Turkish-Armenian border closure. But as of February 2011, a regional train operates twice daily from Kars to Akyaka, the last Turkish town before the border, stopping at the Akyaka railway station.
I have always found train stations fascinating. There’s departure, sadness, happiness and excitement for a journey and I believe those to create a different kind of energy and dynamism. As I was trying to shoot this frame, with a man onboarding and another man walking away in the distance, thick smoke entered the scene from an electronic cigarette, from a guy leaning on the train and smoking his last puffs.
Taken on January 22, 2019 at Kars, Turkey.
W/ FujiFilm XPro 2 Camera and XF16mmF1.4 R WR lens
4863×3242 px
300 dpi
The Energy
Caddebostan beach is one of my favorite places in Istanbul. Surrounded by a great park and trees, we go there with our camp chairs, take something to eat and drink with us, and chill as many people do. Weekday or weekend, the place is always crowded with people swimming, having a picnic, jogging, walking or doing cardio.
The photograph was taken during covid times, where you could see less people than usual. I noticed the teenager with his bike, riding fast towards the sea and making a sudden stop when he is close. He had so much energy in him and I could tell that he enjoyed the excitement and adrenaline so much. I watched him for almost half and hour and I am glad to catch his jump with his bike.
Taken on November 11, 2020 at İstanbul, Turkey.
W/ FujiFilm XPro 2 Camera and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR lens
5863×3909 px
300 dpi