Istanbul 19th – 24th 2023

6 reviews for Istanbul 19th – 24th 2023

1. Ian – July 19, 2022

   – September 9, 2019

   This was such a fantastic way to experience a place we’ve always wanted to visit! Istanbul is one of the most beautiful and photogenic cities I’ve traveled to, and it pays to have a good guide like Anthony.

   As a professional photographer who’s traveled in Istanbul many times, Anthony knew just where, and WHEN, to take us to incredible spots around the city for photos. If you like to experience new places on your feet, this is your kind of trip. It’s hands-on and fast-paced learning.

   There was a good balance of scheduled activities, as well as flexibility and spontaneity for finding those magic moments. One of our favorite days was experiencing the city through the lens of tour guide and photographer Monica who took us to historic and overlooked sites. Anthony also arranged for us to work on and review our photos at a private restaurant spot, which also happened to serve us our best meals in the city.

   Another thing that made the experience so good was the group. With six people, including Anthony, the group was both intimate and a great social way to connect with other aspiring photographers around the world. I couldn’t have loved the balance of our group more, and consider the other participants my friends. Thank you, Anthony, for fostering such a great environment to experience and grow our skills!

   Note: If you’re curious about traveling to Istanbul but have fears about safety, don’t worry. We were astonished at the sense of security, organization and cleanliness of the city, as well as a welcoming generosity I’ve never experienced anywhere else. This spirit was not at all like the melancholic Istanbul I’d read about. The generosity of strangers was definitely my greatest lesson (and a huge benefit to street photography!).

2. Marie – July 19, 2022

   Marie F
   – September 9, 2019

   I attended Anthony’s April 2014 Istanbul class. I absolutely loved every minute of it, even though I am not a morning person. Anthony is a wonderful teacher. The locations he had selected for early morning shooting were inspiring. What a wonderful way to explore a city.

3. Juliette – July 19, 2022

   Juliette S
   – September 9, 2019

   Had an amazing time in Istanbul despite the early starts. Anthony is a great photography teacher, very patient, informative but calm too. It was a very well thought out course, he had taken a lot of trouble to put together a great itinerary so that we had the opportunity to photograph a real variety of subjects and see the different areas of this stunning but vast city. The photography was interspersed with plenty of eating and chatting – we even did a gourmet equivalent to a pub crawl. Photographing dawn is exciting but challenging and something I would never have done without a teacher. I wouldn’t have known where to start with my camera without Anthony. Also I wouldn’t have had the incentive to get out of bed and see how magical a city is at that time of morning without the pressure of knowing I had a set time to meet him and the other delightful members of our small group.

4. Harmen – July 19, 2022

   Harmen
   – September 9, 2019

   I joined Anthony on his Istanbul course (April 2015). It’s a course you’ll never forget. The sights, sounds, smells and flavours of the place are amazing. Oh, and not to forget the course! Anthony takes you to hidden gems normal ‘tourists’ will never go and will explain how you can shoot them the best way, so you’ll end up with an SD card full of amazing shots. It’s way beyond taking holiday shots, but his teaching is easy to understand, laid back and humorous. Anyone can do this and be a better photographer as a result.

5. Shaun T – July 19, 2022

   – September 9, 2019

   Anthony was able to teach me more about photography, and more importantly, how to correctly use and understand my camera in 5 days than I have been able to learn in years of dabbling with the art. The workshop is a wonderful mix of hands on photography; technical instruction on the camera its settings and capabilities; composition; use of light; post production and encouragement to develop and understand your own style and expectations with your photography.

   With the emphasis always strongly on the photography, Anthony also ensured that the workshop was structured to guarantee that we were able to get a intimate sense of Istanbul as a city, visiting places and meeting people we would not otherwise have seen on a “normal” tour or holiday. The food tours, ferry trip, walking tours, breakfast and lunch stops and impromptu discussions/sessions on the best way (and technical skills needed) to capture both the moment and location resulted in an experience that I will remember for ever.

   I highly recommend this workshop to anyone who wants to learn more about their camera and how to develop as a photographer with a skilled, enthusiastic professional with a knack for explaining difficult concepts and technical information with ease, empathy and humour.

6. Rachel – July 19, 2022

   Rachel
   – September 9, 2019

   Istanbul is a fascinating and photogenic city and Anthony Epes’ photography workshop “Cities at Dawn” was the perfect vehicle for a solo female traveller, like myself, to discover a city in a non-touristic and yet safe way. It was very easy to bond with a group who shared the common interest of photography and I found my fellow photographers generous both with their tips and knowledge, and (when it became evident that the back pack I had brought was woefully unfit for purpose), their equipment – many thanks again for the lend of the bag Shaun ! Two highlights of the holiday were the guided walking tours, one a gastronomic trawl through the eateries of Beyoglu and the other an exploration of the suburb of Balat which began with a ferry trip and was fuelled by a delicious home-made lunch hosted in the courtyard of a Greek church. (There was also a spontaneous shopping trip to a very well stocked camera equipment “bazaar” thrown in for good measure !) The photography tuition was professional, unpretentious and “tailored”. I greatly appreciated that Anthony allowed me the space to both photograph and observe at my own pace whilst deftly encouraging me to venture out from the comfort zones of auto setting, telephoto lens’, cliched subjects and even daylight ! (My first proper dawn shoot – quite a buzz to be sharing the Hippodrome Square with only a bunch of manic, in the nicest possible way, dogs and the moonlight…….and Anthony……..and all the other people with tripods…….) In addition, the workshop not only gave me the opportunity to flex my under-exercised creativity muscle but, of equal value and pleasure, to witness the creative process of both Anthony and the other photographers in the group and to see the same subjects interpreted so diversely through other people’s eyes. All in all a very enjoyable trip that I would recommend highly. (Some tips: Bring a proper camera bag ! Pack light weight all weather clothes including rain gear (for October), sturdy walking footwear and something to treat a touch of “stanbul” belly (just in case.) Istanbul is quite hilly in places – if you aren’t going up, you are most likely to be going down – so be averagely hiking fit.)