In the track of Ara Güler. Istanbul, Turkey.

I just arrived from Istanbul, Turkey. Like always, lots of photos…really difficult to chose a few to publish. But this time I decided to start by the master of Istanbul photography - Ara Güler. Did you know, Ara Güler is known as one of the best 7 photographers in the world? Born in Istanbul in 1928 into an Armenian family, Ara Guler has taken pictures in many places around the world (Iran, Kazakhstan, India, Kenya, Borneo). Given the nickname the “eye of Istanbul,” he has documented both his country, looking in great depth at his home city of Istanbul. Exhibited around the world, he has published around 30 books. In 1999, he was recognized in Turkey as the Photographer of the Century. He worked for Time-Life, Paris-Match and Der Stern as Middle East correspondent. In the course of his career he won many national and international prizes, wrote books, published photo albums and held exhibitions. Most importantly, he did photo interviews with many famous people: Ismet Inonu, Winston Churchill, Indira Ghandi, John Berger, Bertrand Russell, Bill Brandt, Alfred Hitchcock, Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Salvador Dali, Maria Callas, Fikret Mualla and even Picasso, who always refused to be photographed. Because of his distinctive documentary style, Ara Güler holds a distinguished place in the history of photography. Despite his age, he continues his adventures in photography by continuing to show life through his pictures. Ara Güler’s Istanbul is a unique record of daily life in the cultural capital of Turkey from the 1940s to the 1980s, captured by the award-winning photographer and accompanied by an evocative foreword by Orhan Pamuk, the first Turkish recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. As the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Istanbul has lived through several empires and has a character that is as many layered as its history – something that Güler’s photographs convey with great sensitivity. In these remarkable black-and-white images, the city’s melancholy aesthetic oscillates between tradition and modernity. Today, Ara Güler stills a great inspiration for all travelers to Istanbul. Walking true the same streets and squares, hanging around the same markets, watching the boats crossing the Sea of Marmara, we these remarkable black-and-white images, capturing the city’s melancholy aesthetic oscillates between tradition and modernity. The track of Ara Güler is not complete without a visit to Ara Kafe, still onerd by Ara Güler. The cafe is located next to Yapı Kredi bookstore in Beyoğlu. The interior is really attractive with Güler's photos at the forefront In the afternoon everybody can go to the café and have a word with him. The place is full. Behind his table, you can sometime see a line. People are waiting just to shake his hand, or have a word with the icon of photojournalism. Ara Kafe breathes history and you can experience the authenticity of the place. Photos are real, Güler is real and the memory remains…Ara Güler and Ara Kafe are an obligation to the people who come to Istanbul, the best way to fall in love with the city. An obligation, but also an honor!