29th October; A Night to Remember in Istanbul

[aster]

Hello,

I wanted to share last night with you. 29th October is the anniversary of our Independence and Foundation of the Republic of Turkey day. We celebrated the 85th anniversary with light and laser shows over the waters of the Bosphorus yet again. Hopefully, the beaming powerful lights were sighted by the 'aliens' from outer space too...I'd love that..

Shot with the A100 and my recently-bought Carl-Zeiss 16-80mm this year. For those interested, my copy of this lens proves to be intact in build and works so silently that it's hard to hear it functioning. Apart from a slight vignetting when shooting skies as background, it's running and focusing nicely.. I would recommend buying from the latest batches in the market.

Thanks,
Yildiz

[KevinBarrett]

How exciting! These three make an excellent series just in forum-sized thumbnails--I can't image what the spectacle was like in person. Thank you for sharing!

[aster]

Hi Kevin,

Thanks!
The real event was huge. So much that I didn't know where to look, which scene to choose to shoot and select the settings suitable for the srenght of the lights.
It was a very enjoyable lightshow in-sync with classical music that was played along. My only regret was the chimneys that got in the way, I have to find a way to go higher on the hill next year to have the whole scene to myself and my camera! I'm sure it'd be a spectacular and unobstructed view...

Thanks for your nice comments, everyone on Bosphorus had a great time singing and hopping to the music..

Yildiz

[bossel]

maybe next year you shot from the top of the Galata tower But actually your angle of view seems to be not much different (but then it's already 5 years I've been there).

[aster]

maybe next year you shot from the top of the Galata tower But actually your angle of view seems to be not much different (but then it's already 5 years I've been there).

Hi Thomas,

Thought about it a little, then got my Sony DSC-V3 photos out of their drawer...Here's Galata Tower for anyone who's not familiar with Istanbul's historical tower that we love too much and the view of Istanbul from the top balcony... Though I can cover the whole of the events at this angle, I think I'd miss all the nice things they do closer to the bridge...worth looking into still.

And Thomas, I think you know what to do since you confess that it's been 5 years since your last visit to Istanbul; you put your travelling shoes on get ready to collect some Istanbul street dust on them, or get your feet wet in Bosphorus' waters.. (warning and disclaimer: the latter is highly not recommended!)

If you can leave behind the beautiful coasts of France that is!

Here goes Galata then...

Yildiz

[Dr. Harout]

Very nice and colorful night shots and beautiful Istanbul scenery. I am not sure which is best from the night shots (color wise), each color has a different mood. I like them all.
As for the touristic day shots I'll peak the tele version of the scenery (don't ask why, cause I don't know myself).
And, sorry for correcting you, it was the Proclamation of the Republic but not independence.

Oh, and about those chimneys... well, there is a way to get rid of them definitely... but do it at night with a big hammer... (anyway the colored lights are so beautiful you barely notice those chimneys)

[aster]

Thank you for the comments Dr. Harout,

Glad that your risky 'data-loss' possibility is resolved and your harddrives are back to being fine. Until a new device which can store all data without harming it, or deterioration is devised by hardware/software/firmware inventors we all face that risk.

You're always welcome to express your opinions, thoughts on my posts be it use of language, expression or inclinations or historical facts for that matter, no need to use the word 'sorry'. I'm quite open-minded not to be offended..

As for the 'Proclamation of the Republic' as you put it, is just a date, 29 October 1923, chosen to share with the world that from then on we are an independent nation with our own established parliament and republican institutions. In other words it's only the technical last part of our declaration of being independent and free. If asked to any Turkish Republican citizen with his/her heart set on the freedom of the Turkish nation, the emotional meaning of the date 29 October 1923 is 'a free nation who decides for their own fate and there will be no return from this goal'. If anyone remembers the Çanakkale battles hardship which we won with very little arms and soldiers and with a major number of casualties against a rich, technically well-armed enemy which aimed at depriving the then-poor Turkish nation of freedom and a state of their own, it shouldn't be hard to imagine the sentiments of the actual Turkish citizen when the words 'Republic of Turkey' is spoken, they simply mean independence, freedom, democracy, right to decide for oneself and so on.

As for the photos, I took many of them only seconds apart which differed in colours. There are better ones but resizing them takes time and the forum only allow for three images per post which also saves you from getting bored!

Thank you for thoughts and comments once again,
Yildiz