The Whole Story - Photo by Halil Yalçin

Another installation in The Whole Story series by Halil Yalçin. You can view Halil's first featured image here.

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The Photograph

© Halil Yalçin

The Whole Story by Halil Yalçin

During our weekend trip, my family and I were losing ourselves in the crowd of Istanbul. Mosques, seagulls, blue Bosphorus, small fishing boats were moored to the shore which provided such beautiful feelings for us. 

In the crowd, I noticed a man. A beer in his hand, the cigarette on his lips, he looked around the surrounding area. While we were rushing through our trip, I thought that he really enjoyed the life. At that moment a verse of a poem came to mind. 

“Not living,

This rushing will kill me” (1)

I smiled. Our surrounding area was so nice but, we did not actually get a taste of it. That  man was doing it. He was listening to Istanbul, he was watching Istanbul through the smokes of his cigarette. Perhaps he is a poet. He left himself to the mood of Istanbul. I'm sure. Poet Orhan Veli Kanık (2) had done the same thing in the 1940s. He had purified himself from the everyday hustle and bustle in the same air. "How magnificent, I'm in Istanbul and I'm not reading, I'm living in a poem." I said to myself. Yes, I did not have my verses, but I could take photographs. 

"A picture is the poem without any word" 

I love Hipstamatic apps, I tried taking a photo with my favorite combinations. Then, I remembered the polaroid of Diego Uchitel. I thought I'd reflect images of 1940. Thus, I could show Istanbul from the eyes of Orhan Veli. I selected the combination Uchitel 20 and John S for creating the grainy, nostalgic image. The images reminded me of the poem of Orhan Veli.

Fine Days (3) 

On this kind of day I resigned
My job in 'Pious Foundations'.
On this kind of day I started to smoke
On this kind of day I fell in love
On this kind of day I forgot
To bring home bread and salt
On this kind of day I had a relapse
In my versifying disease.
These fine days have been my ruin.

(Translated by Bernard Lewis 1982)

The Photographer

My name is Halil Yalçin  I was born in Milas, a lovely small Aegean town. I have added a wonderful marriage and a very beautiful girl into 50 years of my life. I am a mechanical engineer and I work as a Chief of the Plant Projects in an Automobile Factory in Turkey. In my free time I enjoy experimenting with digital photography using my iPhone 4S.

My passion for photography emerged when I was studying at University. My special field of interest is History of the Art of Photography. Especially I like working on the experimental studies of the 19th century photographic technique and I am in preparation for a book about it. 

My wife and my daughter surprised me by giving a great present for the celebration of my birthday last year. This was an IPhone 4S. After discovering the amazing works of the iPhone, my approach to the mobile artistry was totally changed. I have started to use Instagram for sharing my photos. It is my greatest passion now.

Find Halil:  Instagram