Photography and Writing by A. Cemal Ekin
In this closing article about Safranbolu, we will wander around town and see a few locals, take a ride up north and visit Bartin and Amasra. And the final experience will be a visit to another mansion run by the Touring Club of Turkey. That seems to be the last day of our trip. Some …
As I said, we stayed at Paşa Konağı while in Safranbolu. It was a very nice hotel run by a very friendly couple, Ismail Urgancıoğlu and his family. In addition to showing us great hospitality at Paşa Konağı, they took us around to show us their other mansion, Gökçüoğlu Summer House, and beyond. Judging by …
In the previous post, I presented general views of Safranbolu. This one will focus on one well-restored mansion and its owners. And after that is a short presentation of Cinci Han, an old caravanserai. Let us go in … Zamanlık for Safranbolu While walking on one of the narrow streets, Ergun noticed an interesting sign …
Seventeen years ago, when Jan and I were visiting Turkey we drove to the historic town of Safranbolu. Binnaz and Ergun had arranged everything, and the four of us spent a few days in the time capsule. Back in those days, I did not write articles on my site. It recently occurred to me that …
Jan and I were included with four photographs each at an exhibit organized and run by a local real estate company, RealPro by the Water Art Gallery in Pawtuxet. A few weeks ago, our friend Jim stopped for a cup of coffee and mention to us that he had visited the new realtor in the …
Photography brings people together, gives them a chance to connect and share their love of photography. That’s how I met Larry, a fellow photographer, through the Greater Lynn Photographic Association. Larry’s photography straddles shapes, forms, texture, and leans towards abstract photography. I have visited his site many times and enjoyed his work. He has an …
As we got our double vaccine doses and the weather got better, we are venturing outside more often. As most visitors of this site may know, I am a fair-weather photographer. The improving outdoors makes outings more pleasant for me. And there are additional benefits besides the exercise, which is not one of my favorite …
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 architecture. 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 referred to the city with the nickname I coined for …
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, however, …
Architecture is an art form, it is a branch of science, it is a business, it is the architect’s artistic 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. They range from the Children’s Museum to the Brown University Advancement Office, several healthcare organizations, a few restaurants, and an apartment complex converted from the …
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. Photographic Insterest in Sacred Spaces My …
A majestic sacred space, 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 …
Thanks to my young friends Erdinc and Canan who took me to the dome of Hagia Sophia, and provided 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 …
Third Exhibit of Hagia Sophia 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, …
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. Sharing the Hagia Sophia …
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 …
Hagia Sophia Exhibit Opening Reception The 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 …
A collection of my photographs will be exhibited 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 …
The Seraphim Emerges 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. …
