Istanbul Photography Tour

We'll begin our day early with a visit to the old city – Sultanahmet. After breakfast, we will view one of Istanbul’s (and the world’s) most impressive buildings – the awe-inspiring Hagia Sofia. Walking around the mosque, with its unique blend of Christian and Muslim architecture and artwork, we’ll practice our new photography skills. Then we will enter Blue mosque to see the vast interior.

After a delicious lunch, we will continue to explore the Hippodrome and domed Basilica of St. Sophia, which has inspired architects and religious leaders for over 1,500 years.

And finally the Grand Bazaar, built in 1457, is not to be missed! It is impossible to visit all 4400 shops in the Grand Bazaar, but we will definitely capture some amazing photos there! As we explore and walk through the bazaar, we will have the opportunity to taste the best sweets, especially Turkish delight and pistachio baklava! Trust us, they are to die for.

Then we will explore the Spice Bazaar, where the scent of hundreds of spices permeates the air.

Then we will cross the famous Galata bridge, where you will see many fishermen. From here, you will witness a beautiful silhouette of Istanbul in the background. It’s truly a magical moment. We will finish the evening at Karakoy district, with a nice dinner and sunset shots of the Karakoy bridge and the Eminonu mosque.

We will start our day by taking the historical underground funicular tram to go to Galata. We continue with a walk at the Istiklal street, visiting two churches there. We will have a photography basics training with lots of exercises around Galata tower to prepare you for this trip. Photographing the narrow streets of Galata with a wide angle lens can be fun. You might even want to give a fisheye lens a try.

After Galata, we take the steep “Commodore” stairs down to Tophane to visit the local mosque. Then we will see Karakoy, which is an up-and-coming area in Istanbul and hosts a plethora of cafes and boutique shops throughout its narrow cobbled streets. The area is perfect for photographers looking for a younger, edgier scene in Istanbul. You will be awestruck by the elaborate street art on display. In fact, one of the streets is named after a prominent street artist, “Leo Lunatic.”

We will leave early to visit Balat / Fener area, which is a street photographer’s paradise. Here you will smell history and see the real Istanbul. There will be elderly people sitting in front of their houses, cheerful children playing in the streets, and small shopping places on every street. Mosques and churches are next to each other there. None of the residents of Balat will question your desire to photograph them. Wander the streets of Balat full of colorful houses, get lost and simply fall in love with Istanbul.

After a tasty lunch, we will cross the Bosphorus with a ferry to see Kuzguncuk, which is a trendy new area with beautiful houses, giving plenty of opportunities for street scenes and environmental portraits. After dinner, we will end the day in Uskudar, to position ourselves perfectly to take photos of the iconic Maiden’s Tower from the best location.