Top 5 tips for photographing in Istanbul
Istanbul is the city where Europe and Asia have been colliding for centuries. It’s a city of rich culture, history and hundreds of mosques. It was once the heart of worldly empires and played a big role in the trade, religion & culture. Today the rich history can still be felt throughout the city. Istanbul is a city that keeps on giving, so it is no wonder many photographers will come to visit once to drink from it’s fountain of endless inspiration. It is a place that invites you to capture everything that happens within.
Golden hour
Istanbul is a bustling city that never sleeps. This can be ideal in certain photography genres like street photography, but if you’re anything like me you also enjoy capturing the quiet of a city. In Istanbul this can be hard to achieve, though I’ve found it is not impossible. At sunrise this bustling city is at its quietest, the light its warmest & most landmarks & streets will still be lit up. This combination makes the morning ideal for taking beautiful city landscapes.
Don’t rule out Istanbul’s sunsets though. With the locals migrating to the Bosphorus, the city’s hustling and bustling reaches its peak during the sunset-hours as they enjoy the sunset with their friends. The city turns to gold & the call to prayer echoes through its streets.
Golden hour is at different times over the seasons, so knowing when it starts is crucial. I like to use the free app Sun Position for this. Download here for Android and Apple.
Pay attention to the people around you
As I mentioned, Istanbul is a bustling city. It’s vibrant, but chaotic & intense. The city overflows with people on a daily basis which is why you should keep your eye out for the people around you. This tip not only points at the fact that you have to watch out for your camera gear slung around your neck, which you should in any big city. What I want you to focus on in Istanbul is the interaction between people.
The chaos of Istanbul can be ideal for street photography if you observe your surroundings. The eye (& reaction time) needed for street photography is something that will develop over time and even when yours is developed, Istanbul will make you feel like a pet fish released in the ocean. No worries, after a day or two in the city you get accustomed to it and can click to your heart’s desire.
Don't forget about the cats
With an estimated 250.000 to over 1 million street cats in Istanbul, it would be crime to forget about these very important locals. Stray cats rule the streets of the city and are often found guarding check-in gates, lounging in the sun or protecting construction sites. They make for the cutest models and often don’t mind being photographed as long as they get rewarded with a pet.
Use the ferries to your advantage
Istanbul has a wide variety of public transport available, but the best and most iconic might be their system of ferries across the Bosphorus. On my trip here we found ourselves on a ferry every day for a good reason. Being on the ferry gives you a different angle on the city skyline of domes, minarets & skyscrapers. No need for a tour to get a look at these unique angles either, you can get them for basically free as you move from one location to another. Just make sure to go secure a spot on the deck!
Places to visit
The city is packed with incredible landmarks known around the world. Here are my favourites when visiting the city.
Ortaköy Square & Büyük Mecidiye Mosque
Probably my favourite sunrise location. Büyük Mecidiye is one of the most famous mosques along the Bosphorus. With a big square just next to it and a Golden Gate-esque bridge behind it it perfectly shows the contrast between old & new. If you do go shoot the sunrise don’t forget to bring a telephoto with you, the cityscape is beautiful, but with a long lens you can also catch the details of the bridge as the sun rises behind it.
Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque & The Blue Mosque
Now these are definitely the most famous mosques in the city. Tourists flood here which made me actually want to stay away. However, they’re iconic for a reason. Hagia Sophia was built as a church and many of the original mosaics are still on display, because it was not originally built as a mosque it has the unique detail of facing the Blue Mosque on the opposite end of the square. The Blue Mosque was the first mosque in Türkiye with 6 minarets instead of 4 and features a big courtyard.
Unfortunately these mosques have been in renovations with no set end date for a couple of years. At my time of visiting, Hagia Sophia had large indoor scaffolding while the Blue Mosque underwent renovations on one of its minarets
Suleymaniye Mosque
In the end Suleymaniye ended up being my favourite mosque in Istanbul. It sits on top of a hill so it’s a bit of a pain to get to but if you’re already at the Grand Bazaar you’re very close! Because of it’s higher placement in the city the terrace around the mosque delivers amazing views over the cities various neighbourhoods & the Golden Horn.
The architecture of the mosque is also very impressive and it’s a great location to learn more about Islam as volunteers walk around the mosque and offer to answer any of your questions.
Balat & Kariye Mosque
Every city has its more artsy neighbourhood & for Istanbul this is Balat. Studio after studio can be found here with unique pottery & jewellery. Further up the hills you will find colourful streets looking out over one of Istanbul’s prettiest high school buildings.
A little outside of Balat you will find a smaller version of the same idea as the famous Hagia Sophia. Kariye mosque is another church which was later turned into a mosque. The mosaics are incredibly well-preserved and I liked it much more than Hagia Sophia.
Galata Tower & Bridge
Galata tower is maybe the busiest place you can visit in the whole city. With bustling cafe’s serving San Sebastian cheesecake all around it is a hot spot for influencers and tourists. The tower is round and can be seen from various streets surrounding it. Though we did not enter on our trip, we did visit for a quick photo before going to the waterfront for sunset.
At sunset the tower and around will be busiest as the lighting hits perfect and people want to be at the deck to overlook the city. If you can I would recommend going for sunrise instead and taking the picture from the street that best shows the light at that time of day.
