GEP Photography Workshop, Istanbul: Day 4

Turkish delight, in every flavour imaginable, in the Spice Bazaar

Our first shoot on the last day of our Great Escape Publishing Photography Workshop, saw us at the Spice Market in Eminonu. Unfortunately our cameras couldn't capture the exotic aroma emanating from the shops along its aisles. Once again our early start meant that there were few people in our way, and the stallholders far more amenable to our presence. We spent a productive two hours in the Spice market and the surrounding streets, before meeting up again.

Some of us just couldn't resist buying!

Delicious dried fruit and nuts in the spice Bazaar

 Our next visit was to the Suleymaniye Mosque, built for Suleyman the Magnificent in 1557. This was chosen for our workshop because far fewer people visit this mosque than the more popluar Blue Mosque, making it easier to photograph. I also believe it is the more beautiful of the two. Our session over, we just had time for a hasty lunch before we were back at the hotel choosing our three favourite images of Istanbul, ready for Efrain's critique in the group review.

The Suleymaniye Mosque

The beautiful interior of the mosque

The architecture is stunning. This is the entrance to the courtyard

A detail of one of the domes in the Suleymaniye Mosque

 Sadly, our photography workshop was coming to an end, but we still had one more activity, our farewell dinner on the rooftop restaurant of the Adamar Hotel, with its stunning panoramic view over the ancient peninsular, and down the Bosphorus towards the first Bridge.

We couldn't resist photographing down the spiral staircase that leads

to the roof of the hotel

As the sun set, the moon began to rise over the Aya Sofya

 Its always sad when these workshops end and everyone goes their separate ways. One can only hope we will all meet up again at another workshop, or maybe even in Istanbul. It is said, this city has a magic allure that, once experienced, draws people back again. I do hope so!

By Elizabeth Coughlan