Street Photography Workshop in Istanbul | Capture the Soul of the City -

Welcome to Istanbul, a city filled with vibrant streets, captivating scenes, and endless opportunities for street photography! As a professional photography expert, you have a keen eye for capturing the essence of urban life. Join our immersive street photography workshop designed specifically for foreigners living in Istanbul, and embark on a visual journey to refine your skills and explore the art of capturing the soul of the city.

A hands-on and controversial workshop on street photography, images of unplanned moments in daily life, what these images tell us, and the adventures that follow these images.

A street photographer is a person who expresses the spirit and culture of a city in a limited time. Street photography is not about photographing events or a certain situation in a row. The street photographer works by making quick decisions on two important issues such as composition and deciding the moment to take the photo. There are other people’s behaviors and emotions on the photograph, not a carefully adjusted image that the photographer wants to impress. Street photography is honest and open.

Street photography covers a wide range from snapshots to prepared portraits. “GOOD” street photography relies on quickly putting together many important elements of photography.

Why Choose Our Street Photography Workshop?

Expert Guidance: Our workshop is led by experienced professional photographers who have an intimate knowledge of Istanbul’s streets and the art of street photography. They will provide expert guidance on composition, lighting, and capturing decisive moments, helping you elevate your street photography skills and develop your unique style.

Dynamic Urban Environment: Istanbul offers a dynamic and diverse urban landscape, perfect for street photography. From the bustling streets of Istiklal Avenue to the vibrant neighborhoods of Karakoy and Kadikoy, you’ll have the opportunity to capture the energy, diversity, and unique character of the city through your lens.

Storytelling Through Images: Street photography is about capturing the moments that unfold in the streets, reflecting the everyday life and human stories of a city. Our workshop will help you develop your storytelling skills, capturing candid moments, gestures, and emotions that tell powerful narratives and evoke a sense of place.

Embracing Cultural Diversity: Istanbul is a melting pot of cultures, offering endless opportunities for cultural exploration through photography. You’ll have the chance to engage with locals from different backgrounds, capturing the rich tapestry of Istanbul’s multicultural society and the interactions that take place in its vibrant streets.

Personalized Experience: We believe in providing a personalized experience for every participant. Our workshop groups are kept small, allowing our instructors to provide individual attention and tailor their guidance to your specific interests and skill level. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced photographer, we will adapt the workshop to meet your needs and help you grow as a street photographer.

Networking and Community: Our workshop provides a platform for like-minded photographers to connect, share experiences, and foster a sense of community. You’ll have the opportunity to meet fellow photography enthusiasts, exchange ideas, and learn from each other’s perspectives, creating lasting connections in the photography world.

Join us on our street photography workshop and discover the art of capturing the soul of Istanbul’s streets. Refine your skills, tell powerful stories, and create a portfolio that reflects the dynamic urban life of this remarkable city. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant streets of Istanbul and expand your street photography horizons.

Online sessions
Totally 4 sessions, between 19.00-21.00, once a week (this schedule can be arranged for private workshops)

1^st session
Street photographer’s reflexes
Street photographer practices…
The direct photographic approach, creating a narrative…
Working out different plans
Taking into account the different layers in the frame
Atmosphere in Photography
Deciding the distance, angle and shooting moment

2^nd session
What’s wrong with you? (Photographer’s word…)
A little respect, nothing more! (Approach to people and places…)
Pay attention to the attire! (Clothing, equipment…)
Get Inspired! Imitate! (Taking samples from different photographers)
Wake up before everyone else, go to bed at the latest! (Shooting at different times)
Light, some more light! (Use of light-shadows…)
Break the Chains of Composition! (Alternative composition approaches)

3^rd & 4^th sessions
Evaluation of the photographs taken during the photowalks

PHOTOWALKS
The group chooses 4 of the following routes before we start the online sessions.

ROUTE 1
Good Morning Istanbul : From Blue Light to Golden: Photographing Dawn & Sunrise

While the transformation from the blue light of dawn to the golden light of sunrise is a daily event, it is also a mysterious occurrence.
Galata Bridge and around (Karakoy-Eminonu) are the melting point of cultures, social lives, people in Istanbul. Every day, with the rising sun, awakening of the city can be seen perfectly in this area… Ships, fishermen, seagulls, vehicles, mosques, marketplaces start their daily life by offering great photos of a cityscape…
We start our photo walk just 30 minutes before the sunrise. Karakoy, Galata Bridge and Eminonu will be in our route. Depending on the light our instructor will help you to shoot the best images of Istanbul.
Duration: 3 hours

ROUTE 2
Zeyrek – Fener – Balat

Discover the world heritage area with the Byzantine & Ottoman monuments, but mostly with local people…
One of the best photo routes of Istanbul including nearly everything about this city. Byzantine & Ottoman monuments, streets, local markets, people, architecture photos etc.
We will start our photo walk around Valens Aqueduct and visit Women’s Bazaar (in the old times all the businesspeople were women, that’s why the area called Women’s Bazaar). We will walk in the streets of Zeyrek, visit Pantocrator Church – Zeyrek Mosque, Cırcır and Haydar Region.
We will visit Patriarchate in Fener and walk through Balat region. (Balat is the old Jewish part of the city).
Probably this will be a little bit tiring but one of the best photo walks you will have.
Duration: 5-6 hours

ROUTE 3
From Vefa to Suleymaniye Mosque

In this photo walk we will have the chance to take photos of mosques, street photos and daily life of the city.
Vefa and Suleymaniye region is one of the most historical parts of Istanbul. Starting with a very nice and photogenic mosque; Sehzade we will have the chance to work indoors. After that we will visit and taste Vefa Bozası (It is a malt drink made by fermenting various grains: maize (corn) and wheat). The shop is a small place but has lots of opportunities for photography.
After that we will visit the tomb of Ebu’l Vefa (The religious person who gave his name to the region). We will have the chance to take photos of the tombstones & cats here. We will walk in the streets of Suleymaniye region and reach the beautiful mosque. We will have the chance to take photos indoors and from the terrace general view of Istanbul again.
Duration: 4 hours

ROUTE 4
Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning “Covered Market”)in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops on a total area of 30,700 m2, attracting between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily.
So we start at 10.00 in the morning and enter Grand Bazaar. We will walk in the streets and bedestens (covered market halls). You will enjoy the long exposure photos and lights in the Grand Bazaar.
We will also visit Nur-u Osmaniye Mosque. After the mosque we will enter the Bazaar again. When we leave Grand Bazaar, we will visit Beyazıt Square & Mosque.
Duration: 4 hours

ROUTE 5
From history to today; Galata Tower to Taksim

We will start with a great panoramic view of Istanbul from the top of Galata Tower, walk through the most historical & modern avenue of Istanbul and finish our walk at the heart of the city.
Considered among the oldest towers in the world and one of the symbols of Istanbul, Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Temporary List in 2013. Galata Tower, one of the most important structures that make up the silhouette of Istanbul, was used as a long-term fire watchtower and was named Galata Fire Tower.
So we will start by going on the top of the tower and take photos of Istanbul. Then we will start walking in Istiklal Avenue (which is the first avenue of the city). We will see the daily life and historical buildings such as churches, old buildings, passages. We will finish our photo walk in Taksim Square with Ataturk Statue, Taksim Mosque and Gezi Park.
Duration: 4 – 5 hours

ROUTE 6
Uskudar – Mosques – Kız Kulesi (Maiden’s Tower)

Uskudar is one of the historical regions of Istanbul. There are mosques and old buildings around. And also, Maiden’s Tower is one of the symbols of Istanbul.
So we start 3 hours before sunset from Uskudar. We visit 2 mosques (sometimes in one of them the security prevents taking photos bu also around the mosque is ok). Then we visit the local market area and visit a second mosque… After that we start walking from the seaside till Maiden’s Tower. On the way we’ll have opportunities of photos with a great background of historical Istanbul.
We will be around Maiden’s Tower for the sunset. We will also shoot for night photos off the tower (if they turn on the lights, since the tower is under construction, sometimes they don’t.)
Duration: 5 hours