Colorful and Humorous Street Photography in Istanbul by Ilker Gurer

Istanbul Street Photography

I was once a very shy person. Like every other photographer, I started off shooting animals and  concrete stuff. People were a bit too complicated and difficult for me to approach. So I concentrated on nature, the environment and buildings where I discovered technical aspects of the camera. However my dream was always to shoot social life and humans. When I took the camera to my hands for the first time, I realized that I needed to get closer to people. Over time I have become much more comfortable doing this. Nowadays when I approach people I do it with a smile on my face which makes them feel much more comfortable.

Istanbul Street Photography

I learned all of these lessons by shooting on the streets for about 7 years. Sure I still make mistakes, but I still like it. After all, sometimes you hesitate because you feel it isn’t the right time to take the photo. However there are still times where I don’t capture the decisive moment. I remind myself to take it easy. If I capture one special moment every year I am happy.

Istanbul Street Photography

I do most of my shooting in Istanbul which is incredibly fun for me. Istanbul is a growing city with a very high population, so there are many different kinds of people in the city. This gives me a variety of people to shoot and the flexibility to see things a bit differently.

Istanbul Street Photography

I always look for the details when I am out shooting. All of the pictures I take are unstaged, and I prefer to shoot them in color because it allows me to see happiness, irony, and maybe even humor. I dont shoot any images that put people in bad situations.

 

It is rare that I get negative responses from my subjects, as the way I approach my subjects is slow and I try to keep my feet planted as much as I can. I once had a scary moment in which I was shooting street vendors selling clothing near some ancient walls. I suddenly saw 3 male glue sniffers in their late 20’s. One approached me from behind and opened my bag. I turned around immediately and he gestured for me to give him my camera which was hanging on my neck. Not only that, but he showed a large military-sized knife. At that moment I tried to get away from that situation as I could. Frankly it was a very scary experience for myself.

Istanbul Street Photography

However besides that situation Istanbul is a fantastic city to shoot. I love the people, the colors, and the society around myself. I highly recommend anybody out there to travel and shoot some street photography here!

Street Photography in Istanbul by Ilker Gurer

Istanbul Street Photography

Istanbul Street Photography

Istanbul Street PhotographyIstanbul Street Photography

Istanbul Street Photography

Istanbul Street Photography

Links

Website: www.ilkergurer.com

Blog: http://ilkergurer.blogspot.com/
Which of Ilker’s photos do you love the most? Let us know by leaving a comment below!