ANATOLIA AND CAPPADOCIA
THE
HEARTLAND OF TURKEY
by Joe Marvullo
The vastness of the Turkish heartland lies geographically in the middle of the
modern country. Anatolia, the ancient land of the Hittites of biblical
fame, the farming lands of Cappadocia where Roman settlers and early Christians
lived make up the history of some of the most beautiful and bizarre geographic
regions in Asian Turkey. For the adventurous photographer this is the place to
find natural treasures and living history, this is a living ancient Turkey.
THE GEOGRAPHY AND PEOPLE OF THE ANCIENT VILLAGES OF ANATOLIA AND CAPPADOCIA.
THE
PHOTOGRAPHER AS EXPLORER ADVENTURER. When the art director of the sci-fi
classic “The Planet of The Apes”, needed stimulus for the village that
the simeon population lived in, he found his inspiration for their living
quarters, to be constructed in Hollywood, in photos of The Valley of the
Fairy Chimneys taken in Cappadocia, Turkey. The concept and designs used
in the films where based on these amazing structures. The unearthly architecture
of trogolite cities are carved into the mountainsides producing a habitat
that is unique to this region of the world. When motion picture photography
was needed to show the bizarre landscape and living areas of alien civilizations
of another planet for “Star Wars”, George Lucas picked this location for the on location scenic photography,
and in both movies the results were successful beyond belief. This is the
feeling that the photographer sees and experiences through the viewfinder
of his camera. It is a truly a wonderland of landscape and people made
for nature photography and photojournalism.
 The
landscape of Cappadocia - A 180 mm lens was used to achieve this compressed
look of the “other worldly” landscape that is found in this province. The
rocks are multi-colored and come in every shape and size imaginable. They
change their colors many times throughout the long hot day and sunsets
are amazing sights. This ancient land looked the same as it does now to
the Hitites, Greeks, Romans, Ottoman Turks and was the route the Crusaders
took to the Holy Land. The film was Fuji RVP in early afternoon light.
 Boy
on a Horse -In one of the isolated villages in the Nevsehir territory
of this region. I walked into the village (this is a walking assignment) and started photographing
the cone shaped rocks which had homes carved into them with an ulta-wide15mm
lens. As I was composing the photos a boy on a small fast horse ran across
my path, just feet from where I was standing. The Super-wide angle lens
“pushed” away the subject and the background giving the picture a tremendous
depth of focus. Late afternoon light gives strength to the graphic shadows
and deep hues that define the dramatic temper of the photograph.
 The
Girl in the Red Dress - Late afternoon light heightens the saturated
colors of the young girl's dress and lengthens her shadow and those of
the background stone cone-like structures adding to the surreal dimension
of this photograph. The tremendous depth-of-field is created by the sweeping
effect of the super wide-angle 15mm lens.
 Rock
and Sky - This broad angulistic view of the cone like rock taken in the
Valley of the Fairy Chimneys was taken in Cappadocia. The deep blue sky
and puffy white clouds and jagged other mushroom tipped” rocks in the background
were exaggerated by the use of an 18 mm lens. The film was medium speed
ISO 100 RAP film. This twisted composition was deliberate, using angular
lines and a tilted perspective to add impact to the scene.
 Woman
on Donkey - If a person is photographed moving into the live picture area
from right to left, it generally gives the compositional impression that
the subject is traversing across the frame and Is about to leave it. Conversely,
if the subject is entering the picture from left to right, it appears they
are entering the photo. In the case of the woman on the donkey, entering
from right to left, she is moving across the picture frame. The photo was
taken with an F5 using a zoom lens set at a medium wide- angle setting.
She is balanced in the composition by the white clouds that cover the whole
upper part of the photo and the medium area which is comprised of green
foliage. Her red sweater and the white rocks and donkey add to the color
composition of the final photograph. Kodak SW ISO 100 medium speed film
added to the even range of tones.
VILLAGE
LIFE IN CAPPADOCIA
 A
candid
photograph of two women in a small town. Only the baby sitting on the Donkey
being held by his mother has noticed the photographer. The light exposure
was made by a spot reading in the bright backlight
scene. In any composition, especially a vertical format try to fill the
frame with for an easy read with important subject matter. A tele-zoom
set at about 100mm. E-100 film.
 Woman
and Oxen - In her traditional costume, a woman works with her oxen
in last moments of light in the early evening. I was very close and used
a 35mm lens for this evenly lit vertical photo. She, of course, knows I
just a couple of feet away and this give me the opportunity to work the
photos with her full knowledge until I get the right one. The picture was
taken in the Konya area of Anatolia. Because of the low light, the speed
of the E-200 film was indispensable for this kind of close-in photo which
still maintains good depth of field (the small town is still visually readable)
and a manageable shutter speed of 1/60th of a sec. was able to be used.
 Boy
with red hat - In Turkey, the color red is not only the color of the
national flag,
it is also the color seen on clothes and accessories all over the country.
This fast photo ( I only got one) was done with an F5 on auto exposure
with a 28-200 mm zoom lens. The exposure was balanced correctly and with
great speed. The lens was focused automatically in this case and that is
what made this split-second grab shot possible. The white, darks, medium
shadow tones and boy were all measured accurately. SW100 film was used.
 Body
Motion in the Bazaar - These four women are caught in the midst of
their animated conversation under the tent of an open air bazaar. The scene
was captured candidly
with a 200mm lens and Kodak SW film pushed one f-stop to ISO 200. There
is a slight bit of grain
in the low light atmosphere. The camera was hand held as steady as possible
at a shutter speed of 1/125 of a second. The importance of composition
with components surrounding any single or group of subjects is illustrated
in this photo of a colorful and ornament-laden tent stall. The location
is near the old town of Urgup in Cappadocia. The atmosphere is pure Ottoman
Empire Turkish.
 Girl on bicycle
- The storm
moves in and I was able to get this flash photo off right before the rains
came down. The zoom lens was used at about 28mm and the flash was used
to balance the child in the foreground with the white walls and dark sky
of the background. The dimension of light being distributed from the main
subject, the girl in front, and the falling off of light as the scene recedes
in the distanced. Medium speed ISO 100 film was used for tonal balance.
 Man
and Flag - In
the small town, a man in typical headgear for mountain people sits at a
cafe table and has his afternoon tea. For a backdrop a Turkish flag
and a photograph of the great Turkish leader, Attaturk, help fill the frame
for this vertical composition. A fast 85mm lens and E-100 film were used
for the medium grain
effect.
 Two
Ladies - In the village as storm clouds had moved in making the light
level very low, a flash was used to get this otherwise un-attainable photo
of these two friends. It is interesting in a photo portrait of two people
if one is looking at the camera and one is facing away. It adds a special
dimension of being there” to the picture. The fill flash calculated the
overall light reading and rendered an accurate exposure. Fuji RAP film.
PORTRAITS
OF ANATOLIAN VILLAGERS...PEOPLE OF THE PLATEAU
 Young
Girl- This headshot of a pre-teen classical Turkish beauty, almost
a 3/4 view, was taken in the village of Uchisar. She is vibrant and yet
serious as she poses for a series of photos on the side of a road while
leaning against a white wall. A spot
meter reading was used with a 100 mm lens. The meter reading renders
the highlights on her face and the shadow areas that make up the rest of
picture portrait in an accurate manner, making the photograph realistic
in a natural sense. E-100 film ISO 100.
 Old
Man with Beard - By asking permission, then moving very close for a
tight headshot, the personal physical space barrier has been erased. The
photographer is trusted to take the picture. By employing the technique
of setting a medium tele portrait lens at the widest open aperture to use
it as a depth of field tool, a different style of portrait is made. Focusing
on the eyes and shooting wide-open, an effect of detailed sharpness on
the eyes and a falling away of depth on the rest of the face occurs. The
visual feeling of direct communication between trusting participants, the
subject and the photographer, becomes evident and a very personal portrait
emerges.
 Man
with cap - Another version of the in- close, medium-tele wide-open
aperture, selective
focus technique of portraiture. By throwing the lavender wall background
out of focus and concentrating on the earnest eyes of the man, his white
mustache and distinguished demeanor, an elegant portrait of a relaxed gentleman
appears. E-100 film was used in flat even light.
All names of companies and products are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders. Specifications and equipment are
subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacturer.
Back to TravelLady
Magazine |
