This page is all my photo posts about the country of Turkey. I am not an expert photographer and still in the process of learning the techniques to produce good travel photos.
I do enjoy it though and like to use my blog as a platform to showcase and receive feedback on my photos. Please leave a comment on any of the articles because I love to hear from all my readers. Alternatively you can also join in the conversations on the Turkish Travel Facebook Page
Over time, I have collected a few photos that have become my personal favorites for various reasons and I want to share them on my travel blog. Today’s picture is one of those photos and there is a simple reason why I keep looking at it. It sent me a message that I needed to open my eyes as there was beauty in a place that I started to look upon as ugly and embarrassing. I don’t normally … [Read more...]
I recently swapped my Fuji camera for an old Nixon D40X, and was apprehensive about what exactly the zoom lens could do for me. I love using the zoom feature when capturing pictures and often find that I prefer this to landscape or profile photographs. My old second hand Nixon D40 has not let me down though and I love the in-depth, attention to detail that the zoom produces which my Fuji camera … [Read more...]
Near to Goreme in Cappadocia, there is an area called Panoramic View. If you are in this area, then definitely make the effort to go. It gives you views over the whole of Goreme and if travel photography is your thing, you can guarantee that you will end up with some award winning pictures. There are many seats like the one in the picture, where you can sit and let the world pass you by. … [Read more...]
While on my travels, I came across an owl held in a cage. This bird captured my attention straight away because I had never seen one before in my life. Known as one of the best nocturnal predators on our earth. Owls are famous for being able to silently swoop in on their prey and kill it instantly with a razor sharp beak. I moved up close to the cage to admire the owl further. It was sitting on a … [Read more...]
Mardin in the south-east of Turkey is on the edge of an ancient region called Mesopotamia. When I booked into my hotel, the receptionist said they were not busy and had given me the room with the best view of the Mesopotamian plains. I don't care much for hotel room views, preferring to spend most of my time outdoors and only using the hotel as somewhere to sleep. So I shrugged my shoulders in a … [Read more...]
This week’s Sunday Snap is the view from Selime Monastery. This is a place in Cappadocia and you will probably go and see it if you buy one of the many tours sold by excursion shops in Goreme Town. About Selime Monastery The monastery dates back to the 13th century and in true Goreme style, it is basically a sophisticated cave. Meaning the monks carved their home out of the caves and if you … [Read more...]
This post is my favorite black and white pictures of Turkey. Readers who have been to my blog before will know that I have an obsession with photo editing programs and I am always taking a photo and manipulating it in any way possible. The latest trend that I seem to be heading for is the black and white effect. Turkey as a country is every photographer’s heaven. There are so many places and … [Read more...]
Boats - I have an attraction to them. If I am not boarding one for a cruise around the coastline, then I am normally sitting on land taking photographs of them. Kusadasi is on the Aegean Coast and while it has never been a favourite destination for me, there are a lot of opportunities for practising photography, including the fishing and tour boats that are often docked into the harbour. I call … [Read more...]
My photos of Miletos have been sitting on my laptop for quite a while now. I always aim to publish them but get caught up in another theme or story. However this week I have been messing around with numerous photo editing photographs and the result is below. I have emphasized the dark and dreary look because when I went to Miletos, we were facing the threat of the heavens opening at any … [Read more...]
If your passion is photography, there is no shortage of beautiful places in Turkey. I still have hundreds of photos to publish and one technique I am messing around with is tilt shift photography. Tilt shift photography is manipulating a scene to make it look like a miniature model, almost doll like and it gives the feeling that you can pick up the buildings and landscape with your … [Read more...]
In the eastern Black sea region of Turkey, the city of Trabzon stands on the coastline. It is proud of its heritage and historical importance as a major trading port on the old silk road. The region also captured the attention of many famous travel writers through history including Marco Polo and Evliya Celebi. They were not the only ones who were in awe of Trabzon because in 1461, the … [Read more...]
In 2012, I started to regret my decision to focus on one country for my travel writing. The buzz of learning about new aspects of Turkey had started to wear off. New experiences were harder to find because after ten years as an expat in Turkey, I was used to daily life. I had based myself on the west coast and apart from the landscapes; it was guaranteed that each area was more or less the … [Read more...]
Istanbul is a huge city with thousands of landmarks. Most of them are historic buildings dating back hundreds of years, especially to the Byzantine and Ottoman Empire. Some landmarks are more famous than others are, but all serve one common purpose as an identifiable object on the horizon. Here are my 14 favourite postcard style pictures of some landmarks in Istanbul. Famous Landmarks … [Read more...]
I have been nominated by Italian notes to enter a competition called Capture the Colour run by Travel Supermarket.To enter we have to display five photos. One for each category and they are blue, red, white, green and yellow. Fair enough, but what really captured my attention? The Prizes of Capture the Colour If I win in one category, then I get an iPad. Great for me as I must be the only … [Read more...]
I am a great lover of landscape photos and in the country of Turkey; there is no shortage of beautiful places. Every landscape that I see has its own admiring quality that makes photography an interesting and exciting hobby to learn. Even though I have hundreds of landscape photos, I have picked 23 of what I think, are the best. I hope you like them to. Feel free to leave a comment at the … [Read more...]
Don’t you just love it when you happen to be in the right place at the right time with your camera? The result is a photo that makes you smile and feel very proud at the same time. I spend a lot of time practicing my photography skills and out of every hundred pictures; it is easy to assume that I will only be pleased with one. The picture below is one photo that I am really proud of. My … [Read more...]
Zoo animals are a great way to get behind the lens of a camera and practice your photography skills while traveling. In my last article, I discussed my reason for visiting Izmir Zoo and Wildlife Park and that was to answer if animals should be kept in zoos? However I did not realize until I arrived at my chosen destination, that the zoo animals and landscapes made it the perfect place to … [Read more...]
These photos are a few snapshots from a collection that I call “My Secret Turkey”. The collection is photos that I feel complied to keep looking at for one reason or another. I have never shown them to anyone else because the collection has always been personal to me. Photo one was of a lighthouse in Altinkum which reminded me that there is beauty in the most unattractive of places. These … [Read more...]
By now, everyone knows that my dream is to travel around the Black Sea region of Turkey. I have heard stories about lush, green mountains and wood houses that resemble the Swiss Alps. I am eager to meet the locals that apparently have a smile on their faces every day of the week. Each month with fierce determination, I save money for my traveling fund. I am also in the process of gathering … [Read more...]
Over the winter, I have been scrambling around the countryside taking pictures of everything and anything including the animals of Turkey.My friends are quite used to me and while the locals raise their eyebrows in amazement, they will just claim they don’t know that crazy English women that can take up to 400 pictures a day just to get the one picture that makes her happy. Thank god for … [Read more...]
Every year, I meet people who are in Turkey for the first time. Conversations within minutes of meeting normally turn to their astonishment at just how much of a green country Turkey is. When I mention green, I am not referring to green tourism or save the earth as we all know that Turkey is really behind on that aspect. No, I am referring to the miles and miles of green grass, trees and … [Read more...]
A while ago I published a post about sunsets in Turkey. No matter which destination it is, I love sitting there and watching the sun go down at the end of a long, hot day. So imagine my delight when I opened an email from Adrian at the traveltosun.com website and there was a gorgeous picture of a golden sunset over Kusadasi. I was eager to publish this picture and asked Adrian to tell me how he … [Read more...]
Lately I have been breaking off from my Cappadocia posts to write about other thoughts and my recent Bodrum trip. However last night, I started looking through photos so I can put together my last posts on the amazing region of Cappadocia. Cappadocia had such an profound impact on me and visiting the area kicked off an interest in photography. I started snapping everything in sight from street … [Read more...]
Kusadasi has changed over the years however one thing that still remains the same is the harbour. A lot of people miss out on this part of the town as it is distanced from the main center. However all it takes is a short ten minute walk and you will find yourself in among a flurry of activity. Boats will be untying their anchors and taking tourists out to the high seas for the day. Fisherman … [Read more...]
There is a little restaurant in the sleepy town of Yalikavak called Ali Baba. Just 100 meters from this restaurant, you can buy fresh fish just from the sea. Walk along, select your fish and take it to the Ali Baba restaurant and they will clean and cook it for you. Order side dishes of salad and roast potatoes. Don’t forget, the traditional drink In Turkey when eating fish is Raki accompanied … [Read more...]
Looking out over the bay is the name I have given to today’s photo. It was taken last month when my husband gave me a brand new camera. On one day out and about, my insistence to photograph everything and anything that came into sight was starting to get on his nerves. My Kusadasi Photo However when we went back home and viewed the pictures on the computer, he admitted that he liked this … [Read more...]
One of my favourite parts of the day is to sit down at the end of it with a nice, ice cold beer and watch the sun go down. There are certain areas within Turkey that are famous for their sunsets and you will find professional photographers flocking there to catch the perfect picture. A glowing orange sky disappearing behind mountains or into the sea is enough to make anyone stand still though, … [Read more...]
I took this picture of a work horse when I was in the town of Soke on the Aegean Coast. When thinking of work horses, I am always transported back to the beginning of the century before the modern vehicle took off. That is why I was surprised to see this work horse, as all around him were cars of all models, makes and designs. They were whizzing up and down the road while this horse and his owner … [Read more...]
The picture for this weeks Sunday Snap is called The Open Window. This picture was taken on my recent trip to Goreme, where living in a cave is quite the norm. I came across a cave cafe while out walking one day and loved the quaint décor style, thus leading me to snap away with my point and shoot camera and produce this photo. However to make this weeks Sunday Snap a little bit different, I am … [Read more...]
When I got into the blogging trend, I realized that photos can either make or break a post, especially when you are writing about travel. It became apparent to me that I needed to work on my photography skills and at the same time as realizing this, I managed to get my hands on a review copy of a brand new travel photography book that was due to be released. The book is by Brendan Van Son and … [Read more...]
Nobody knew anything about the stranger’s grave, yet it was in a prominent position in the town. I asked the man sitting on the bench next to it and he just shrugged his shoulders. I checked the guide books and they mentioned nothing. The man must have had influence though, as his grave was elevated where as others were in the ground. I know his name was Huseyin and I know that no one … [Read more...]
When you are Cappadocia, one thing you will see a lot of is pottery. In specific, red clay pottery which comes from the town of Avanos. I took this picture walking up to the Goreme Open hill museum. As it was such a steep climb, I was tempted to get in a car and drive up there but I am now glad I didn’t. The Pottery Tree of Cappadocia On the walk up to the museum is so many sights to see … [Read more...]
