PAINTED LADIES
ISTANBUL, TURKEY
Image Number 575 & 576
Situated along the south side of the Golden Horn, the area of Balat was historically a melting pot of Jews, Greek and Armenian Christians, and Muslim Turks. The multiethnic character of both Balat and next-door Fener was largely lost during the 20th century and the neighborhood has long been one of Istanbul’s poorer ones. But these days, things are looking up. A five-year project funded by the European Union has restored nearly 100 old houses and shops in Balat, while the increasing number of tourists flocking to the area’s historical churches has created a clientele for new boutique shops and cafés. Balat is also known for its “painted ladies” – houses very similar to the painted clapboard houses built in San Francisco in the nineteenth century.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Image Number 576 (top)
The image was taken with a hand held Phase One 645 Camera at ISO 200. Exposure of 1/400th of a second and aperture F6.2. 45mm Phase One lens with focal plane shutter. The image was captured on a Phase One IQ180 80 megapixel digital back.
Image Number 575 (bottom)
The image was taken with a hand held Phase One 645 Camera at ISO 200. Exposure of 1/500th of a second and aperture F3.2. 45mm Phase One lens with focal plane shutter. The image was captured on a Phase One IQ180 80 megapixel digital back.