Photography and Writing by A. Cemal Ekin
Reha's most recent book, Mimarlık Fotoğrafı (Architectural Photography) has been in progress for quite a few years and was just recently published. It is an excellent read on the intricacies of this genre of photography with many photographs from his long career.
This is a guest post by Adnan Onart, a multidimensional creative, philosopher, poet, photographer from Cambridge, MA. No, “Brutalist Architecture” doesn’t have anything to do with the pandemic we are going through. During the week, I just kept sharing my photographs with the hope that the pictures could provide some elements of distraction to family …
I am probably beating a dead horse by writing about the very strange change in Istanbul’s architectural character. I wrote before about the discomfort of Istanbul and I experienced the same when we visited there in October 2019. In my previous visits and related posts, I called Istanbul with a nickname I coined for it: …
As this photograph zooms in on the details of the lead photograph in the previous one, our attention will get closer to the photographic aspects of the discussion. In the previous post, I tried to establish a backdrop for architectural photography. In this post, we will focus more on photography specific issues. It is important, …
Architecture is an art form, it is a branch of science, it is a business, it is the architect’s personal expression as well as that of the commissioner. So, it is not surprising that I see architectural photography as overlapping various forms, kinds, branches of photography. This post will help me crystallize my ideas of …
Yes, another stroll in Providence last Saturday while the weather was still mild and comfortable. This time, we went to the historic Jewelry District, which now houses a variety of organizations, from the Children’s Museum, to the Brown University Advancement Office, several healthcare organizations, a few restaurants, and an apartment complex converted from the old Imperial …
Providence has interesting architecture, and to a large extent, it has maintained its character. It is a small city, but not tiny; it has changed some but still looks like the Providence I first saw in 1969. Last weekend Jim picked me up and we went for a short stroll in the city to enjoy …
I had the privilege of having two special visits to the largest and one of the smallest churches in Istanbul. Built more than a millennium apart, the two churches allowed me to experience the truly magnificent space and works in Hagia Sophia and the jewel-like presence of Panagia Isodion. My interest in these sacred spaces …
Hagia Sophia has stood over 1,400 years as one of the significant achievements of human ingenuity, creativity, and dedication. If you had a chance to enter the Great Church, you would remember the sense of awe space emanates. The immense space is crowned by one of the largest unsupported domes in the world, and the …
Thanks to my young friends Erdinc and Canan who took me to the dome of Hagia Sophia, provided an exclusive access to Panagia Isodion in Istanbul, I got a chance to visit the Green Mosque (Yesil Cami) in Bursa when I was in Turkey in 2012. They had just finished their restorative work and the …
My collection of photographs taken from the dome of Hagia Sophia is making the third stop. After Cleveland and Providence, they will be on exhibit at The Howard Thurman Center of Boston University between November 1 – 19, 2010. A reception with a gallery talk is scheduled for November 12, 2010, 6 – 8 pm …
If you have visited this site a few times you probably know about my experience in the dome of Hagia Sophia. I have written a few posts about it, presented photographs and videos, issued a limited edition folio, and had three photography exhibits featuring the unseen corners of the Great Church. In my continuing efforts …
You might have read about my unique experience in the dome of Hagia Sophia and the first photography exhibit of the work of that experience in Cleveland last May-June. This fall, a slightly expanded version of the same exhibit is coming to Rhode Island. The small preview images below do not do justice to the …
The Hagia Sophia exhibit at the CSU Art Gallery opened on May 21, 2010 along with the works of three more artists. We had a chance to meet new people at the opening and we will likely keep in touch with them. A political science professor and one of his students from Hiram College traveled …
A collection of my photographs will be on exhibit in the Cleveland State University Art Gallery. The exhibit titled “Touching the History: Photographs From the Dome of Hagia Sophia” will be on display for one month opening on May 21, 2010. Opening reception and a brief talk will be on May 21, 2010, between 5 …
I have created a folio containing 12 photographs taken from the unique (and generally off-limits) vantage point of the dome of Hagia Sophia. They are printed photographically on metallic paper which brings out the reflective qualities of gold extremely well. The folio opens with a title page, includes a certificate of authenticity, and continues with …
Two views of the 3D mapping of the mosaic As I mentioned in the previous post, the newly unveiled Seraphim mosaic in Hagia Sophia reminded me of a head mapped to a flat surface. I am not an expert in 3D mapping, but I created the following composite showing how the face could have looked …
I read in a Turkish newspaper, Aksam, that one of the mosaics in Hagia Sophia was cleaned to reveal the face of the angel Seraphim. According to the news article, the mosaic has been covered for about 160 years. Possibly because of this, the pieces of the mosaic are preserved exceptionally well. This is exciting …
Earlier, I posted a slideshow consisting of the photographs I took inside Hagia Sophia. Since then, I have created a second slideshow, this time featuring the photographs taken from the roof of Hagia Sophia. You will see the Blue Mosque, the old Hippodrome, the obelisks on one side; and Hagia Eirene and the Topkapi Palace …
I posted some of the photographs I took in, around, and from the dome of Hagia Sophia earlier. I wanted to provide an interpretation that evoked The Great Church in use; so I created a short video that is set to Byzantine Chant. I watched it a few times with great awe of the structure …
From a small trap door, they made under one of the large windows between the ribs of the great dome of Hagia Sophia we stepped out to face a magnificent view of the area. As I stepped out, I was looking at the Blue Mosque at the level of its minarets and I could see …
In the previous post, you saw photographs of me and Reha in and around Hagia Sophia. In this and the next post, I will share with you some photographs that I took from the remarkable vantage point I enjoyed of this magnificent structure. The restoration scaffolding is immense as you can see. It stands 55 …
I had a very remarkable experience that I would like to share very briefly here. My good friend Reha Gunay arranged for us to visit Hagia Sophia and go up to its dome. His student Erdinc was a great host as he took us on the elevator to the top, 55 meters from the ground. …
