Dare to saiL ?

While I was on the road, coming back to Istanbul, the weather was changing. I was on a ferry crossing the Dardanelles. There were these ships and the coming storm in the horizon. I love the storm and the clouds with it, they always make me feel home. With the history of Dardanelles, the scenery was like a film.

The sea always seem to share the beauty of the sky. They seem like twins, they get angry together and they both are beautiful.

Watching the sea and the sky then, I felt scared and happy at the same time. It was a good moment to be in…

Long lost friend, my guitaR

Just got home from a 5 day trip from our summerhouse in Tavakli. There I have found some new “old friends”. My guitar, to whom I lost contact for couple of months with, came back to me It took time to be close friends again, but we did it. I had to make something to apologize, so I decided to go HDR. I photographed my classical guitar with Aegean background to fit her soul. It came out somehow surreal as is my talking to her Hope you like it…

Waiting for sunseT

Just some hours ago this was the scenery I was facing when I was waiting for sunset and tried to catch some bird to photograph. Nature is always there to make us wonder, do we have time ? 

Happy mother’s daY

It has been long time since I last posted some photographs since I have lost the joy, but this day was a great time for starting again. These are for mother’s day and especially for those who are not with us anymore.

They are not only our first storytellers who tells us about magical places and happy endings These stories shape our lives.

They always bear some good news, with them, like Hemingway once wrote, “But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen” no matter how bad the situation is.

They are not always like “everything is going to be alright” they also can make you ready for the real life. You know the life which you need a cup of coffee early in the morning to get to work.

You may always feel that you are different and you have changed a lot since you were a kid but in the end you are always a part of her as she is a part of you.

Their age may get old, but like old building the get only more beautiful and they get more stories to tell which you can listen for hours.

And you really really really shouldn’t forget to give them flowers

Folks life is short. I have lost both my Mother (Munire Somcag) and my Grandmother (Neriman Sadoglu) in the last 5 years and there isn’t one single day I don’t think about them. This is the best I can do for Mother’s Day. If you can do better, like giving them flowers or just calling them, do not postponed it because you have other plans. It may be that life has other plans as well. Enjoy the time you have with the ones you love.

Happy mother’s day for all…

Sails filled with sunset

You can always see something unexpected in Istanbul. As I was enjoying the sunset, this shot came along. The sails were filled with the sunset and the boat was just sailing away slowly. This kind of sights always makes me wonder if the city is a painter or not ? Either way, I am grateful…

Pleasure on bosphoruS

Just before going home after work, I took a little walk near the sea-side, just to get past the rush-hour. As it would seem, some people do not care when the rush-hour is You can always see something beautiful on bosphorus.

It must be better inside, but the sight was also great. If someone would ask me how I would draw “pleasure on bosphorus”, well, here it is…

Old city across the seA

Waiting for my boat home, I had the chance to take this photo. My home is beyond the city in the horizon and it was just after sunset. Although I am in the same city but home is in the city across the sea

Traffic through timE

The night walk in Unkapani after a great meal and the city gives you this as a gift. Its past and present in a lovely story under city lights. You can feel the history flowing though the city as the traffic through time.

Falling down or going uP ?

The really uneasy feeling looking up the stairs and dreaming that you are falling. It kind of resembles the “falling dream”. Taken in Taksim where you can’t tell if you are falling down or going up.

Cold night for fishermen on the bridgE

Cold night on the bridge and as I was walking on it, these fishermen were just trying to get warm. I could share their pain and walking on that bridge was as if listening a short story. The story was well-written since I could feel the cold in that night

As you were walkinG

This was taken at Taksim. People paid very little attention at the little chestnut shop as it was invisble. Since I love chestnut in cold winter nights, I decided to direct a little attention as you were walking past it. Now you are invisible

From an actual storY

This photo was shot in a really dark alley in Taksim. The doors were about to be closed and this is the only photo I could take. After this unsuccessful attempt I gave up this photo, until I wanted to see what I can came up with this under-exposed photo. The result was a little surprise to me. This result seemed as if it came out of an imagination from someone who just listened a dark story. At the end you know what they say: “all’s well that ends well”.

My city dreams in watercoloR

One walking night in Istanbul. This photo was taken on the bridge on Golden Horn. At nights, the city always seem to come out of a good and mystic story. You may lose yourself in it and forget to sleep, but the city dreams and it dreams in watercolor, misty and mystical.

Ever watching trees and the mystic’s firE

This is the city under the rain. It looks like on fire but then again it still rains from heavens never mind the cold. And the trees they looked like they were watching for a long time. It was a mystical sight. I was glad to be there…

Itself in shadoW

Seeing yourself in your shadow is a interesting thought and where can you see it other than the road you are walking. This little metaphor embodied itself in this little creatures little moment. This photo was taken where once Emperrors and then Sultans walked, but at that moment it was this pigeon’s sidewalk

Everyone’s own dooR

One of the old names of Istanbul is “dersaadet” which means door of happiness. There may be many who would argue this name but still… Although a city may lead you to your happiness it is you who is walking and sometimes the road may arrive somewhere else… In Istanbul you nearly always say that it was a good trip…

Lights with memory pasT

These lovely lights, they seemed to me as if they can silently watch you. And when you light them they will show you your past with all the little details. They can make you smile…

Palace below heaveN

The pigeons on the roof top. Well this time it has some royal feeling bout it as well. Since they can fly and I can’t, it always seem to me that they have a little more luck and freedom. This looked like the proof of my feelings. Maybe I exaggerate a little but “pigeons on throne” looked like a good symbolism  in this age

One great mysterY

This is a photo of an old cemetery in old city. The people walks by without paying any attention but the cemetery is always there. It is like a symbol of a great mystery “A window with closed doors”.

The guy with shoeS

From my last trip into the old city, there was this guy, sitting right beside the road and without paying any attention just shining the shoes. Hundreds of people pass by without ever noticing him and he did not care about them neither. The people were just like the shadows behind him