{"id":37448,"date":"2023-07-06T07:39:58","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T06:39:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/?p=37448"},"modified":"2023-07-06T09:15:31","modified_gmt":"2023-07-06T08:15:31","slug":"analogue-adventures-part-22-istanbul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phillipreeve.net\/blog\/analogue-adventures-part-22-istanbul\/","title":{"rendered":"Analogue Adventures – Part 22: Istanbul"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/h2>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/11 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It was my second time in Istanbul and as I already covered many of the “must see” tourist sights the first time I thought it was a good opportunity to shoot some more film this time around. Being less flexible with film it also helped that I already knew what to expect and where to go.<\/p>\n

\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/11 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"hologon
Leica M6 | Hologon 16mm 8.0 | Fuji Superia X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/8.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/11 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Portra 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n\n

If you have been following my Analogue Adventures<\/a> lately you already know some of these pictures from previous articles covering different films.<\/p>\n

Here I will tell you which places I took those pictures and which areas I think are worth visiting.<\/p>\n

Karak\u00f6y<\/h2>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/11 | Kodak Gold 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I am starting with my favorite part of the city, which is Karak\u00f6y on the European side. Karak\u00f6y lies in between Galata and Emi\u00f6n\u00fc – which are the most touristy places in Istanbul – yet some parts of it are kept surprisingly original.<\/p>\n

\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.8 | Kodak Gold 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

West of the Galata bridge is a small fish market and behind it a plethora of shops selling fishing equipment and tools. You will rarely encounter tourists in these narrow streets, but this is exactly what appeals to me: here you can still find some of that raw unpolished-for-tourists Istanbul.<\/p>\n

\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/8.0 | Kodak Gold 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/11 | Kodak Gold 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/11 | Kodak Gold 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/11 | Kodak Gold 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Gold 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

East of Galata bridge you can find a gentrification area with fancy bars and restaurants, if you walk there by the sea you can encounter fishermen on the way all day long:<\/p>\n

\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.8 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/8.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/11 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/8.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/8.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.8 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Galata<\/h2>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/8.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You cannot only find the famous Galata tower (you can see it in the picture above) and the famous red tram going from T\u00fcnel to Taksim here, it also leads to one of the biggest shopping streets which is Istiklal road. Because of the recent terror attack we didn’t spend any time in this area, but we did visit a nice antique village close to Galata tower and also the just recently (beginning of 2022) opened Galataport shopping mall.<\/p>\n

\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are also some antique shops here that double as a cafe, so while enjoying your turkish tea and coffee you can check out the stuff and even take some pictures there.<\/p>\n

\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/5.6 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Portra 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.8 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/4.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/4.0 | Kodak Portra 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you walk to this part from the Galata bridge or the Karak\u00f6y tram stop you can also pay a short visit to Salt Galata, a library\/cafe\/museum with free entry and some nicely renovated architecture:<\/p>\n

\"hologon
Leica M6 | Hologon 16mm 8.0 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2 | B&W converted<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now Galataport has been somewhat of a controversial project as it mainly appeals to the wealthier residents and tourists while some of the locals feel left behind because of the high prices of pretty much everything here.<\/p>\n

\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Generally the shopping mall part didn’t appeal too much to me. Coming from Germany this looks like any other shopping mall you can find in pretty much any bigger city in western Europe.<\/p>\n

\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.8 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There are two things I did enjoy here though: a small Ara G\u00fcler museum with interesting interior architecture which doubles as a small Leica shop (I did buy these two Ara G\u00fcler books with street photography from the Istanbul of the 60s) and the sunset view you can get at the pier in the evening – as long as there is no cruise ship blocking the view at least:<\/p>\n

\"color
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.8 | Kodak Color Plus 200 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Emi\u00f6n\u00fc\/Sultanahmet<\/h2>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/11 | Kodak Ultramax 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The area between Emi\u00f6n\u00fc and Sultanahmet is where all the famous “must see” sights are located: Hagia Sofia (see picture above), Blue Mosque, Sunken Palace (see picture at the beginning of this article), Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, you name it.<\/p>\n

I had been visiting this area extensively the first time I went to Istanbul, so this time I mainly visited those sights that were under construction the first time, like the Sunken Palace and the Blue Mosque (still under construction).<\/p>\n

I also couldn’t really avoid visiting the Grand Bazaar at least once:<\/p>\n

\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The streets in this area are always crowded, which makes it difficult to take pictures that are not completely cluttered with tourists:<\/p>\n

\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/4.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/8.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/5.6 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/2.8 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the weather is nice it can also be worthwhile to walk up the hill to the S\u00fcleymaniye mosque. The mosque alone is worth the visit, but you also have a great view from here.<\/p>\n

\"hologon
Leica M6 | Hologon 16mm 8.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/8.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Balat<\/h2>\n
\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/8.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Balat has become the<\/em> gentrification area of Istanbul over the last years. You can find pop-up stores, antique shops, colorful houses with sometimes nice decoration and of course small overpriced bars and cafes.<\/p>\n

\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/11 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.8 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/2.8 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/2.0 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/2.0 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/2.8 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can also find some streets here though, that haven’t fully adapted to this new concept yet:<\/p>\n

\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/2.8 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/4.0 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/2.8 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/8.0 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/2.8 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kadik\u00f6y<\/h2>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/8.0 | Kodak Ultramax 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kadik\u00f6y sounds very similar to my ears as Karak\u00f6y and in my opinion it is also somehow the pendant to Karak\u00f6y, but on Istanbul’s Asian side.<\/p>\n

\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/2.8 | Kodak Ultramax 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/11 | Kodak Ultramax 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/4.0 | Kodak Ultramax 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/4.0 | Kodak Ultramax 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/2.8 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/2.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can also find many bars and restaurants here and when I was visiting at the beginning of 2023 there was even a lot of street art to be found on most of the parking lots downtown.<\/p>\n

\"kodak
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/8.0 | Kodak Ultramax 400<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Moda<\/h2>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/8.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Moda can be found directly south of Kadik\u00f6y. The transition between the two is fluent, but what Moda has going for it is the water front where people walk their dogs or simply like to sit on the rocks by the sea when the weather is nice.<\/p>\n

\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/5.6 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/8.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/2.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/8.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/8.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are also many bars with a nice sunset view to be found here:<\/p>\n

\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/11 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00dcsk\u00fcdar<\/h2>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | Hologon 16mm 8.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00dcsk\u00fcdar can be found north of Kadik\u00f6y. It is mainly famous for its view of the maiden tower, but that one was still under reconstruction when I was there.<\/p>\n

What still made it worth to visit is Nevmek\u00e2n Sahil, a combination of library, cafe and study hall. It has a pretty spectacular domed roof that makes for a cool background:<\/p>\n

\"cinestill
Leica M6 | Hologon 16mm 8.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is also a tiny museum in the basement:<\/p>\n

\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/1.4 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Apart from this I didn’t find \u00dcsk\u00fcdar very spectacular, except for that fact that it wasn’t that crowded compared to the other places mentioned here.<\/p>\n

\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/2.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/1.4 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/1.4 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"cinestill
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 50mm 1.0 ISM | f\/2.0 | Cinestill 800T<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Last words<\/h2>\n

As you can see from this article I shot a lot of film this time in Istanbul. Coming from digital I was a bit hesitant about this, but I still gave it a shot, also because it wasn’t my first time there and most likely also won’t the last.<\/p>\n

\"ektar
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 24mm 2.0 | f\/11 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now the look of film definitely helps with my idea of Istanbul and what I want pictures taken there to look like. What did bother me from time to time is the loss of flexibility compared to digital, mainly due to being tied to one ISO for the next 24-36 pictures.<\/p>\n

\"fuji
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 | f\/4.0 | Fuji X-Tra 400 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To give you just two examples: for the underground cistern I knew I need a higher ISO film, but I went there in the morning to avoid the crowd so I also had a whole day ahead of me where an ISO400 film wasn’t really needed (or even contraproductive) and when arriving at the New Mosque (Yeni Cami) I had an ISO100 film loaded, not exactly the best choice for taking an indoor picture with an f\/8.0 lens, as can be clearly seen from this underexposed mess:<\/p>\n

\"ektar
Leica M6 | Hologon 16mm 8.0 | Kodak Ektar 100 ECN-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So these are some things I was constantly thinking\/worrying about. Where will I go? What will the weather be like? Which film to load next?<\/p>\n

That being said I got to try many different films, where there were some positive surprises (Fuji X-Tra 400 and the expired Agfa Vista 200), some negative surprises (that dreadful Cinestill 800T), but in the end I got a lot of pictures I am happy with. And as long as this is the case who cares if they have been taken with a digital or an analogue camera?<\/p>\n

\"agfa
Leica M6 | MS-Optics 35mm 1.4 Apoqualia | f\/11 | Agfa Vista 200<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Further Reading<\/h2>\n