Overview

Istanbul has become a highly multinational touristic metropolitan. This creates both opportunities and challenges for street photography. Moreover, one can still find less-travelled spots to take authentic pictures particular to local touch.

As if plucked from a whimsical fairytale and set down upon the stark Anatolian plains, Cappadocia is a geological oddity of honeycombed hills and towering boulders of otherworldly beauty. The fantastical topography is matched by the human history here. People have long utilized the region’s soft stone, seeking shelter underground and leaving the countryside scattered with fascinating cavern architecture.

Mount Nemrut are of the  trademarks of Turkey. The famous statues sit on two terraces flanking Antiochus I’s giant gravel-covered, mountaintop burial mound. Their 2m-high heads, toppled from their bodies by earthquakes, now sit silently on the ground in front of their colossal, throned bodies.

If the murmurs in the vaulted bedestens (markets) of Sanliurfa could be muted, you would be surrounded with the click of pistachio shells being broken by shoppers sampling the product quality. But the shops in the bedestens have much more to offer beyond pistachios—spices, nuts, fruits, carpets and even fabrics such as zardosi which are carefully curated from India.

During this whole trip we will have to chance to experiment on street photography. Whenever it is available we will be interacting with locals on the road. For indoor or outdoor portrait photography, we will be working with models in authentic vestments, craftsmen’s ateliers. Landscape photography containing alternating subjects like people, horses, balloon, sculptures.

Astro photography (whenever weather allows).

For landscape photography we will be leaving the hotel before the down and get back to hotel after the sunset.

ITINERARY

DAY 1 | April 25:  Istanbul

You will be picked up from the airport and transferred with a private car to your hotel, which is located in the old city. You will be free for the first day.

DAY 2 | April 26: Istanbul

We will meet at the hotel lobby and hold a  small meeting.  You will meet with the rest of the group. After a short brief and equipment check  we will start to wander the vibrant and colorful bazaars of Istanbul. Throughout of day we will be in outdoors, visiting predominantly landmarks of old city and spots where good pictures may happen.  We may give small coffee brakes during the day. We will have our lunch in a local restaurant. We will be continue on the streets till sun sets.

Then we will have our dinner in a local restaurant and turn back to our hotel.

DAY 3-4-5 | April 27-28-29 :  Cappadocia

Early morning we will take our domestic flight and with 2 hours driving we will be arriving to Cappadocia.

Each day we will be visiting different part of the Cappadocia area. We will be visiting ancient churches.

We will be working on the rock formations, Fairy Chimneys. We will be working with local models in their authentic outfit. We will visit pottery atelier.

We will photograph the take-off of the balloons (depending on the weather). We may take a balloon trip as well on the next day upon request (this trip is the optional item excluding the tour price).

We will try astro photography as much as weather allows.

Each day we will have our lunch and dinner in a nice restaurant. We may have our breakfast in the hotel, or in the car since we will be leaving before the dawn. We may have a coffee break sit-downs whenever the group requests

DAY 6 | April 30 :  Yılkı Horses –  City of Kayseri

On the way to  the city of Kayseri we will stop to photograph  a wild herd of Horses called Yılkı. We will have the chance to try different shooting techniques such as panning, continuous focusing and changing the perspective while working with masses.

Then we will transfer to the city of Adıyaman, which takes 6 hours by car.

We will spend the night in Adıyaman.

DAY 7 | May 1:   The National Park of the Mount Nemrut (Adıyaman) – Istanbul

We wake early before the dawn in order to catch sunrise on the top on the mountain , shoot the sculptures and on the way back shoot surrounding points of interest.

Crowning one of the highest peaks of the Eastern Taurus mountain range in south-east Turkey, Mount Nemrut  is the Hierotheseion (temple-tomb and house of the gods) built by the late Hellenistic King Antiochos I of Commagene (69-34 B.C.) as a monument to himself.

Afternoon we will transfer to the City of Urfa by car.

We will spend the night in Urfa

DAY 8 | May 2:   City of Şanlıurfa (or Urfa).– Istanbul

Şanlıurfa (or Urfa as it is used interchangeably) is also called the “The city of Prophets” due to its religious importance.

We will be wandering on the streets, in city center, visiting, bazaars.

The  archaeology museum is one of the best in Turkey. The region’s cultural heritage is displayed across three levels covering a time period that stretches from the Neolithic up to the Ottoman era.

We will stay over in Şanlıurfa.

DAY 09 | May 3:   Old Bazaars & Halil-Ür Rahman (lake)

Then, we will dive into Urfa’s bazaar alleys to find stalls selling everything from sheepskins and pigeons to jeans and handmade shoes.  It was largely built by Süleyman the Magnificent in the mid-16th century.

You can also see some ancient workshops and craftsmen you cannot see in another place.

Balıklıgöl (or Pool of Abraham, Halil-Ür Rahman Lake), is a pool in the southwest of the city center of Şanlıurfa, Turkey known in Jewish and Islamic legends as the place where Mimrod threw the Prophet Abraham into a fire. Balıklıgöl and neighboring Aynzeliha pools are among the most visited places in Şanlıurfa.

We will transfer to the airport to  fly back to Istanbul. We will have our dinner in a local restaurant.

We will spend the night in our hotel in Istanbul.

DAY 10 | May 4:  Farewell

You will be picked up from your hotel to be transferred to the airport which you catch your flight back to home.

SERVICES (INCLUDED & NOT INCLUDED)

INCLUDED

ACCOMODATION:

• Istanbul: 3 Nights Bed & Seven Hills Palace, located in the old city
• Cappadocia: 3 Nights BB Eyes Of Cappadocia Hotel
• Adıyaman: 1 Night Adıyaman Dedeman Park
• Urfa: 2 Nights Half-board Urfa Hilton Garden Inn

MEALS:

• All meals (starting from the day of we sit down for Welcome Meeting in Istanbul and to the end. (including the diner we will have (after) our arrival  to İstanbul from Urfa.

TRANSPORTATION:

• Domestic flights from/to Istanbul
• Pick up & drop-off at Istanbul Airport .
• We will be using a Mercedes Sprinter or similar dedicated to our group for general transportation.

GROUP LEADERS:

• You will be together Faruk Akbaş for all matters concerning the photography. Another English speaking certified guide will be with you as well for from day one to the end who will be handling logistics, accommodation.

GENERAL EXPENSES & MUSEUM ENTRY FEES::

• We will take care all the tips and payments concerning the models, locals or organizational contributions. Museum entrances.

NOT INCLUDED

• Optional Balloon Trip in Cappadocia
• Food and beverages in the airports
• Alcoholic beverages
• Totally optional: tips to guide and drivers.
• Meals or beverages received to your room or from minibar
• Any other service not mentioned in the “INCLUDED” section.

PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR

Below, you can find a summary of  the required photo equipment  during the tour/workshop. If you do not have or do not want to carry a tripod we may arrange you a good quality rental tripod as we will receive your camera info.

• DSLR/mirrorless camera and a sturdy tripod.
• A medium zoom lens, such as a 24-70 mm lens.
• Or prime lenses of your preferences
• A camera bag to transport all your equipment.
• A cable or wireless shutter for night photography
• A headlamp for the night shootings.

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