The Eye of Istanbul
Director:
Alvaro Longorio
Year: 2015
Rating: 7.0
This is a documentary about Ara Guler, considered perhaps the greatest Turkish
photographer. At the time of the documentary he was nearing 90 and is interviewed
extensively about his art. I found out after watching this that he passed
away in 2018. The photographs they show are amazing - his composition perfect
- he would wait hours for just the right moment if he had too. But most of
his photographs are in the instant - people at work or at rest, in the street
or sitting at a small café. He began taking photos in the 1950's and
he captured an Istanbul that no longer exists - a historical record as well
as just being great photos. But he also roamed the world - snapping pictures
of celebrities like Dali, Hoffman, Churchill and Hitchcock. He also visited
war zones and barren tribal areas in Asia and Africa. A lot of his photos
are black and white using light and shadow as if a painter but there are
also some lovely color images. I wish I could take one picture as good as
his.
