Bir Garip İstanbul / A Peculiar Istanbul
Ara Güler, the legendary Magnum photographer, captured Istanbul like no one else—natural light, high contrast, and rich textures that made you feel the city’s heartbeat. They called him as "The Eye of Istanbul," his work often carried a touch of nostalgia, sometimes even a little melancholy.
Even though I admire his photos as they are, I’m particularly drawn to capturing the oddities of life in my photography. Maybe not the important moments, but the unexpected ones… So, with a little help from Midjourney, I took a trip back to 1960s Istanbul and generated some peculiar scenes, each one a tribute to Güler’s unmistakable style, but with a twist.
They say Hezarfen flew from Galata Tower with homemade wings back in the 17th century. Do you believe it?
Fishermen at the Golden Horn love a good story. And maybe this was just another tale passed between them.
In the ‘60s, the stairs of Haydarpaşa Train Station were the gateway to big dreams. Because in Istanbul, everyone was just one lucky break away from becoming a king.
Nothing unusual about hanging from a moving tram on Istiklal Street. Maybe only a monkey would turn heads.
A flock of sheep crossing Galata Bridge in the middle of the night? Well, this is Istanbul—I’m sure it has seen stranger things.