See, the problem with me getting back into Europe is: the style of my photos seem to change. Whereas Africa was more of a National Geographic thing going on – dramatic portraits and “plight of humanity” sort of things – the European theater feels completely different.
I will be completely honest, sometimes I look at a city and think, “Wow, there’s so much less to photograph here” knowing full well that all that was different with Africa was the fact that it was all “new” and “unique” and “I had never seen it before.”
Much of the same thing happened the first time I was in Europe if you want to file back in the archives to 2008.
But now, I consciously tell myself, “Self, this is just as unique as Africa, just in a completely different way.”
Therefore, instead of dirt streets and the drama brought on by the fact that it is “different” from what we know, you get this:
This is Istanbul, Turkey.
A cosmopolitan city on par with any New York City or Paris, almost greater than anything else in the world. Yet steeped in a sort of world-changing, world-class history that give Athens and Rome a run for their money…
But the “problem” I always run into is that I tend to photograph cities like this just as I would Little Rock, or Memphis, or New York City. I revert to my roots: street photography.
I truly wish I had a digital rangefinder, because I just kinda revert back to the way I shoot those. I pull out the prime lenses and wail away.
But genuinely, we’re here for a reason – coffee – but moreso than ever before, we’ve hit more of the touristy things.
I guess it might be because the curriculum is kinda drawing to a close for the students that are studying for honors credits, but our guide/fixer/translator Zee – in the middle-right in the above photo – has been making sure we don’t miss a single thing.
But still, for Day 1 not much is going on… but the hotel is great – exceptional location. And its kinda tall…
…and the street photos are plentiful.
By the way, I love shooting street because its my way of showing you in a still frame what you pass every day but never take notice of. Its extremely simple, extremely typical of anything you might see… but just like the photos of Africa or Oman, these are simply images of what I see in the places I go.
They just happen to be in the urban jungle instead of the real one… for now.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s excitement,
-Noah D.
