Istanbul
6 – 12 April 2023
APPLY HERE!
DETAILS
Price: €1290 for shared double occupancy room
€1490 for private double occupancy room
[€500 deposit via Transferwise or PayPal is required to confirm your booking within 48 hours; remaining payment due 2 weeks before the trip start date at the latest].
Trip length: 7 days / 6 nights
Participants: max 15 participants + Nancy + Local Guide. This trip is open to all participants: all ages, solo, couples, families, friends.
Requirements: Moderate level of fitness and comfortable shoes (we will walk quite a lot and Istanbul is pretty hilly and steep in most areas), ANY level of photography is very welcome.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
- 6 Nights in a 4 star accommodation (6th to 12th April)
- Arrival & departure airport transfers
- Daily morning hotel pick-up and evening drop-off from/to the hotel with private transport
- Public transportation within Istanbul (does not include your leisure time outside of the itinerary plan)
- 6 Breakfasts at hotel
- 1 Cruise dinner and 1 farewell Turkish dinner
- Entry fees to all activities and museums
- English speaking local guide
- Photography tuition throughout the trip
- Whatsapp group to connect, answer questions and especially for travellers keen to link up before the photo tour starts
- Discounts on Skylum products and the chance to win a free licence for Luminar NEO
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- Flights to and from Istanbul
- Travel and equipment insurance
- Photography equipment
- All lunches, 4 dinners, snacks, drinks, alcoholic beverages (including your room mini bar)
- Personal expenses (souvenirs, visa fees if required, etc.)
- Gratuity for the tour guide, at own discretion
ITINERARY
Here are the highlights for each day:
Day 1 – ARRIVING IN ISTANBUL
Arrive at one of the two Istanbul’s airports, get greeted by our chauffeur who will comfortably take you to the hotel. Once everyone has arrived we’ll meet the group to get to know each other and you’ll have the very first day free to roam Istanbul at your own pace. If you need any suggestion or assistance you can always count on me and our friendly local guide.
OPTIONAL ADD-ON DAY – HALF DAY CAMERA WORKSHOP
Add a half day (4 hours) introductionary camera workshop to your trip. You will learn how all your camera settings work and then spend half day shooting with me in Istanbul (in different locations than the ones planned for the following days) as you learn how to shoot in manual mode. You’ll learn the fundamentals in settings, ISO, shutter speed, framing, and exposure…and then go outside and capture Istanbul vibes practicing what you just learned. Whether shooting on your phone or a DSLR camera you’ll walk away with the confidence and knowledge to make the most out of the following days. Additional price per person: €150.
Day 2 – A GLIMPSE INTO MODERN AND CLASSIC
- Grand Post Office
- Suleymaniye Mosque
- Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque
- Zorlu Center
- Istanbul Sapphire
Day 3 – ISTANBUL CLASSICS
- Hagia Sophia
- Basilica Cistern
- The Blue Mosque
- Orient Express Station
- Egyptian Bazaar
- Grand Bazaar
- Rustem Pasha Mosque
Day 4 – TAKSIM TO GALATA
- Ataturk Cultural Center
- Taksim Mosque
- Galata Tower
- Kamondo Stairs
- Salt Galata
- Dinner cruise
Day 5 – MODERN MOSQUES AND CAFES
- Nevmekan Selimiye
- Nevmekan Bağlarbaşı
- Nevmekân Sahil
- Şakirin Mosque
- İlahiyat Fakültesi-Marmara Üniversitesi
- Sogutlucesme Mosque
Day 6 – FIVE MOSQUES AND EDITING WORKSHOP
- Nusretiye Mosque
- Molla Çelebi Mosque
- Sinan Pasa Mosque
- Küçük Mecidiye Mosque
- Ortaköy Mosque
- Photo reviews, image enhancement, editing and post-processing workshop using Luminar Neo (but not only)
- Farewell Turkish dinner
Day 6 – DEPARTURE
SOME OF THE MANY BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS YOU WILL COME HOME WITH
– be sure to check out my IG highlighted stories and feed posts for more insights into the beauty that you will capture
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
On this trip we’ll dive deep in learning how to see, shoot, and edit architecture. We’ll cover spacing, exteriors, interiors, city look-ups, look-downs from a vantage point, plenty of traditional and modern mosques, and anything that will catch our eyes while exploring the beautiful city of Istanbul.
There’s no need of having fancy and expensive gear, the secret to capturing architecture in a unique way lays in your eyes. That’s why we will primarily focus on composition and on training your eyes to notice lines and patterns in architecture.
During this week you will learn to notice and frame correctly:
- Leading lines and geometrical patterns
- Symmetry
- The best perspectives to capture architecture
- Use of the rule of thirds (and when to break it)
- Details and patterns to create abstract, minimalistic images
QUESTIONS
- DO I BRING MY OWN PHOTOGRAPHY EQUIPMENT?
Yes, bring your camera, lenses and tripod. If you wish, also bring a laptop so that we can edit some photos together.
- I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN PHOTOGRAPHY, CAN I STILL COME?
Absolutely yes, the trip is open to everyone, all levels from beginners to advanced and travel enthusiast.
- WILL I HAVE FREE TIME?
You know I travel solo and I highly value alone-time to explore so even in this group trip there will be some time for you to freely explore the city. Arrival and departure days will be free for you to plan anything you’d like to see and do depending on your flights times. That doesn’t mean you are left with no guidance, always feel free to reach out to us for suggestions and to clear any doubts.
- WHAT IS THE REFUND POLICY?
The terms and conditions are here. Please take a look at them.
- HOW DO I PAY TO CONFIRM MY PLACE?
You have two options: pay in full or pay the €500 deposit. If you pay the deposit, we will require payment in full 2 weeks prior to the trip start date at the very latest.
