Istanbul posed multiple challenges for me as for rookie photographer:
1. Should I allow my camera to be Xray-scanned in the airport?
2. How much of an ISO is taken from an outdated film?
3. What artifacts will be brought up in the image from the film with unclear background?
4. Is it a good idea to shoot B/W in colourful cities.
The 'wildlife' in the city is diverse: felines, canines and seagulls, who are almost unreal to be shot still. However, I like the dynamics and unpredictability of it — some animals have proven to be quite good at modelling!
I was (un)lucky enough to catch Istanbul during COVID pandemic, so the streets were less--crowded than usual. Still, some places seem to never be empty. Here's to my constant fear of shooting people!
A great perk of living near Bosporus — you are given best sunsets in the area. They are a little ominous when shooting from a ferry and give any overexposed frame a proper lighting.
A great deal of architecture is located in what used to be Ottoman Empire as well: a ton of Mosques, modern towers and all the in-betweens
Pro tip: close a camera's aperture a bit, while shooting the big water, because it tends to reflect a lot of light, influencing a shot heavily.
Of course, the best shots are happening when you forget about settings and try to capture a scenery.
