ON THE ANCIENT ROADTHE ASIA MINOR REGION OF TURKEYby Joe Marvullo
TRADITIONAL VILLAGE LIFE... The historic lands of the Aegean and Mediterranean in Asia
Minor are dotted with villages and scenery that reflect a peaceful style of
life that has prevailed for centuries. The photojournalist arrives without
preconceived notions for photography in unfamiliar settings. His tools are a
couple of cameras and lenses, lots of film, a smile, experience and the ability
to adapt to any situation that presents itself as a photographic possibility. In this region of Turkey, people are both hospitable and
curious about strangers. An old Greek and Turkish saying goes “all visitors are
from God.” This is the attitude you, with your cameras and alien ways, will be
walking into when you enter the small enclaves. You will be treated both with
respect and interest, a good combination to help you with your reportage
photography of a small, isolated and traditionally cohesive arena of real life.
THE IN-CLOSE AND PERSONAL PHOTO PORTRAIT... Women of the Village Approaching strangers and moving close
to them (several feet away) with a camera up to your eye presents an unusual,
almost bizarre position for the unsuspecting subject to be put in. By talking
and motioning that you are moving closer for a picture and putting the person
at ease, the session becomes fun for both parties concerned as opposed to a
confrontation. The person being photographed is not a pro model so this
experience is surprising yet very flattering. Your conduct as a professional
calls on all your experience to control the fast- moving situation and get a
total stranger to pose and work with you literally in seconds. This for me is
one of the most rewarding aspects of photojournalism.
Mothers & Daughters These three portraits show distinctly different ways of
depicting the classic portrait of mother and daughter. This series was taken in
the same Aegean village.
Working the Photo Scene
The working woman was photographed in low evening light with
E-200 film and a medium focus zoom lens.
Turning the camera angle so as to take a tight vertical
portrait, the length of the woman’s torso adds weight to the picture format.
This version of the woman’s photo was taken with Kodak SW 100.
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The Temple of Demeter - The five striking Ionic columns of
the temple of Demeter in the ancient city of Priene in Asia Minor are an imposing site set against the
mountainside that surrounds it. When photographing ancient ruins an important thing to strive for
is the positioning of a particular site with the environment that it is set in.
When these structures weren’t ruins they were formidable structures that were
planned as part of the visual area that surrounded them. Today as skeletons of
their former beings, they should be portrayed in the same way photographically.
The pleasure of ruins is the ability to take the remnants of another time and
make a modern photographic representation of them. Nikon with 28mm lens and
Kodak SW film.
The Library at Ephesus - This impressive structure, the
Library of Celsus, one of the great remaining ruins of the ancient world, was
photographed with a contemporary outlook. It was photographed at a severe
angle, exaggerating the perspective with an ultra-wide angle lens. This made a
pre-conceived man- made perspective work optically in a way no ancient could
have imagined it. The super-wide lens was manipulated to achieve this unique
angle of view. Fuji RVP ISO 50 film.
The Waterfall - This natural pool formed from the waterfall
and situated among surrounding woodlands is typical of the idyllic countryside
of Greek legends of Asia Minor. It was a retreat for the ancients and still
retains its beautiful atmosphere. The picture was taken with a 28 mm lens with
a Nikon SB-28 speedlight flash used as a fill-in with the natural light. The
trees in the foreground are where the fill-flash blended in with the daylight
scene. Without the flash, the trees would have been black silhouettes and the
waterfall and pool would be properly exposed. With the fill, the automatic
dedicated reading of the Nikon F5 and flash unit makes a scene that is balanced
for exposure. A scene you could not see with your naked eye. The location is
Kursunlu Salelesi. The film is Kodak S ISO 100. In flash-fill daylight scenes,
I recommend a medium speed film like a Kodak SW, S or a Fuji RAP or Sensia.
These are not high contrast films and lend themselves to bright light mixture
and manipulation.
The Flower Girl - This beautiful Turkish child was
photographed near a waterfall while she was playing with friends on a sunny
Sunday. I noticed the crown of flowers she had made and put on her head and
asked her to pose for me. I took several quick exposures and this one worked
out. The bright waterfall in the background and the direct sunlight on her face
were balanced by the SB-28 speedlight used as a flash-fill. The lens was a
tele-zoom set at a medium tele setting for the portrait. The girl was a natural
model that made such a quick exercise possible. The even distribution of the
light conveys the serenity of the pastoral experience.
Boy and Donkey - Using a 200 mm setting on a zoom lens, I
photographed the young boy on a donkey as he headed toward me. When taking a
picture of a subject approaching the camera, it is important to pre-focus the
photograph so as to ensure the depth- of-field that you want to convey. In this
case the combination of a long lens focused on the main subject throws the more
distant image of a woman out of focus in the background. Selective focus is a
powerful technique to apply, whether in close to the subjects or shooting from
a distance. In this case, both subjects in focus would not deliver the feeling
of depth that a shallow focusing field allows. If the person photographed
appears naturally in the picture without any eye- contact with the photographer, a real feeling of a
candid moment in life is caught on film. It is as if, even in a critical
head-on photo, the photographer is invisible.
Mother and Daughter in Red - On the other hand, in a photo
where the subjects are definitely aware of the photographer’s presence, a
different type of “instant” scene of life takes place, a natural pose showing
trust from the newly found subjects. Never stop with the first photo, most
people think you will only take one, that’s when you quickly snap another, less
guarded picture. This village mother and daughter were taken with a 28mm
lens/Fuji RAP film. 
The up-close tight headshot is the epitome of portraiture in
the field. With an 80-105mm medium telephoto lens, the portrait that fills the
frame is the ultimate goal. Establishing a rapport, eye contact and quick
reflexes all combine to produce the “shot” at the right moment with the right
attitude. This woman, in a traditional scarf, was photographed in a small
village. I was in close with an 85mm lens and was lucky to catch her smile in a
fleeting second. The lighting was open shade that provides an even illumination
without any high contrast detail in the face. Instead, an even tone that
produces a agreeable feeling in the portrait. Kodak SW film was used for this
head-on view.
A three-quarter view of a face, a semi-profile picture,
looking slightly down at the subject will bring a different feeling to the
portrait. The bright light shining on the woman’s handsome features adds a
sharp contrast that highlights the draping and texture of the kerchief she is
wearing. Kodak S100.
A straight on photograph of a village woman posing for the
camera. The picture was taken in open shade that provided the flat lighting. I
asked to take the photo and she leaned back, relaxed and posed for the
photographer. The direct eye-to-eye look right into the lens and her purposeful
body language adds a personal dimension to the final picture. Kodak E-200 film
was rated normal for the low light situation.
Harsh angular sunlight shines down upon the elderly woman whose
face is wrapped in her native scarf. The rich textures of the material and the
wrinkles of her face give this photo an etching like quality. This kind of
“spot light” use of the strong directional illumination helps bring a
three-dimensional look to the smiling woman’s presence. Fuji RAP ISO 100 film and a medium tele were used in this
eye-contact depiction of a Turkish village woman.
The tight head and shoulders photo of the young woman and
her mother is striking in the fact that the changes in dress and transition of
culture are evident. By keeping the couple in equal size and focus in the
frame, emphasis is shared and their close personal relationship is portrayed.
Medium tele in open shade. Kodak E-200.
The new generation of Turkish women is showcased by relying
on the technique of selective focus and the manipulation of distance between
subjects. The young teenage girl in the foreground has a fill-in flash used as
her main-light and she is sharp with a definite expressive smile, the mother is
out-of-focus in the darker background, standing at a slight angle adding a less
visually competitive image. Nikon F5 and135mm. Kodak E-200 film (normal).
The interaction between a mother and her young daughter is
caught in an instant. The clean sunlight and wide-angle (28mm) view taken from
the photographer’s higher position and the immediacy of the moment makes this
picture a true rendering of an interactive relationship. Fuji RAP ISO 100 film.
Little girls - Another version of selective focus is used on
this close-up of the two little girls. A tele-zoom lens was used at a wide-open
aperture so as to render the background as a neutral canvas. The girl in the
front is the focus and the one behind her is still visible but less tack sharp.
The combination that ties them together is color (yellow and green), main
focus, size relationship in the frame and their eye contact with the
photographer. It is an intimate photo of two girls aware of the picture being
taken and their natural beauty and reaction to the photo instant. Kodak E-200.
The traditional villages augment their income by creating
local crafts; in this case the lace-maker is caught unawares while she is
working and smiles warmly at the surprise of being photographed. She is part of
the joy of meeting and photographing strangers and capturing their image on
film and sharing it with other strangers. This is what travel photography is
all about, seeing, feeling, connecting and making a representation of a slice
of life for further communication of that instant the photographer saw and
reacted to.
The SB-28 flash used as a direct light source supplements
daylight in this candid of two laughing older women. Flash adds it’s own
environment ambiance. This manufactured look includes color rendition,
distribution of light and observation of detail in the selected subjects. In
some instances there could not be a photo taken without a strobe being used. It
adds depth of field and light coverage of a preferred distance. Whether used as
a direct light source or as a fill-in flash technique, the speedlight is an
essential and welcomed tool in the camera bag of the modern photographer.
The Village Elder - This handsome gent was taken in low
light with a direct flash used on camera. The lens was a 28-200mm zoom lens set
at a medium focus. He was leaning back on his chair at a small cafe and I
framed the wooden shutters around his head and shoulders. The portrait depends
on the whites of the wall balanced with the dark wood and jacket set against
the flesh tones of the man. Fuji RAP ISO 100.
Focal length portrait - Environmental photo with 28mm lens.
This old woman was photographed in the warm rich light of late afternoon. The
source is clear and defines detail with great clarity. The woman’s picture was
taken as she sat in front of an old wooden doorway bathing in the sunshine.
This type of all-encompassing photo comprises an
environmental portrait. The film used was Fuji RAP ISO 100 film. The horizontal
format adds to this type of shot. Because of her attitude and distinctive face,
I moved in closer and photographed her as a tight head shot with a 80-100mm
lens.
Boys and Wall - This environmental photo of the two young
brothers who were photographed in the bright warm afternoon light was taken
with a 35mm lens using Fuji RVP film. I was taking a graphic photo of the color
abstract of the wall and its colors when the door opened and out came the duet
dressed in their yellow shorts They added to the color composition of the
scene. Once a solid base of composition is set, a surprising moment such as two
new subjects appearing in the scene can be handled with control.
Old Style Cooking - The Turkish tradition of cooking
outdoors over a fire is seen in this picture of a village woman preparing the
evening meal of meat kabob. In the low early evening light I was able to
squeeze off a few low shutter speed hand-held frames. When shooting with long
shutter speeds, take each photo by depressing the shutter release slowly while
holding the camera as close to your body as possible. Keep your hand under the
lens and try to lean on an object to steady yourself (a wall or sturdy
surface), this helps prevent unwanted camera shake in the final photograph. The
photo was taken with a medium tele lens set at the widest open aperture setting
of f/1:4. The film used was Fuji 100.
Village Street Scene - The wind blowing the white curtain in
the breeze against the background dark window and brilliantly colored blue wall
illustrates a typical but graphic detail of a street in a small village.