Her Story Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

(The PP is not perfect, I am a beginner with Photoshop and in digital photography - I did not want to use the flash there).

The note is long, but there is a lot to tell about this interesting woman, a marginal who has a place in her neighbourhood and who has kept her dignity...

Proud and defiant, H. (38 years old) is a "formidable" woman : I met her recently in the old Ürgüp when asking around if there were other families in the neighbourhood living in caves (for my theme on *squatters in Cappadocia *) : she was chatting with one of her neighbours, and I was immediately inspired by her stature, her freedom, her jokes and sweetness, and her ability to change so rapidly of expression.

Walking up together towards her home near the « Wishing View Point », (part of which having collapsed recently = see WS 2 please), when asking about her life, she instantly started to cry with lots of tears in her eyes and her makeup blending : « my husband died, I don’t have money left, the municipality is helping me a bit for the studies of my two sons and for the coal in the winter, but life is very hard and I can’t find a job… », but 2 minutes later, she was laughing again, loudly and with all her heart.

Then we reached her modest house : a neat, small garden behind the walled gate, at the back a surprising view WS 2, and most interesting, I saw 2 of her rooms, amazingly decorated with her interesting taste for paper flowers, lace and colourful toys, even an inflatable plastic duck hanging from the ceiling that you can see in WS 1.

I was not any more only inspired by her mature beauty, but also by all her surroundings and while continuing to chat, I asked her if she would agree to pose for me in various parts of her rooms, promising to give her the best prints. She told me more about her life and about the various gadgets in her house, of which she seemed very proud ; I was wondering how she could make ends meet and that life was sometimes really hard, but the eldest of her two sons, 14 years-old Ilkay had arrived, so we discussed about other things. She told me also that she was very close to her mother who was living nearby.

About her many worries : water was leaking from the roofs of her old, rented house ; she had not been able to pay the rent for 7 consecutive years (so she too can enter into my squatters series), the municipality is sometimes cutting her water supply because she does not pay… And the poor woman is addicted to smoking !

I hope that you won’t be shocked by this post – this woman does not conform to the norm, she is an outsider, but I felt great generousity in her and I believed her when she told me that unlike her neighbours, she would not judge anyone or indulge in endless gossips…

Partha_c, riclopes, Silvio1953, kiwi_explorer, hay_kes, danbachmann, maloutim, Glint, pebbles has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

erhanterzi (2130) 2007-06-23 4:38

Hello Catherine,
She definitely knows the meaning of life.
Well photographed room. Light is enough.
Erhan

Partha_c (1985) 2007-06-23 5:34

Hi Cath. Not only you are a history seeker but a good story teller as well. Well narrated your visit to this countryside and interview with this stocky,tall,pretty woman. Apart from photoshop you can try photofilter (downloadable) to see differnt output. Well, from your sketching the profile of this woman who seemed to have some unfulfilled dreams, I couldn't make out what made you suspect her entertaining male visitors to support her hard life. Regards.
Partha

riclopes (32969) 2007-06-23 5:46

Wow, what a fantastic story, once more, Cath. I don't know how can one be shocked with this post. This is the way to travel - talk to local people. Unfortunately, I'm always in a hurry and I'm also too shy, but I'll try harder in the future. This is a fantastic place, where I spent one week walking in and many times I thought I was in another planet. Your theme is really interesting. Thanks for sharing your stories - they are most important and fitting well in the spirit of TE. The pp and technical quality are secondary issues in this kind of posts.
Ricardo

Silvio1953 (41533) 2007-06-23 5:57

Hi Catherine, great portrait with a great BG full of colors, very well done, have a nice week end, ciao Silvio

kiwi_explorer (12195) 2007-06-23 6:18

Hi Catherine,
It has been a hard life for this woman ... I hope things get better for her. You have captured her portrait perfectly ... showing her pride and defiant self. The story is also very good and touching. Excellent work! tfs
Cheers,
Renier

RADEEH (2762) 2007-06-23 11:15

Hi Cath
This is an interesting document on the people and the cave houses of Urgup.We get a good idea of the interiors and the life style of these people.Her expressions are brilliantly captured.As the note says "proud and defiant lady " You could also have told about the dress she is wearing . Is it a long skirt or a pyjama . Is that a mirror in the left top corner? . Her hair on the forehead is little amusing. Great work ! Congrats. A perfect for the TE spirit.
Regards
Radeeh

Bruno40 (6440) 2007-06-23 12:36

Catherine
A good portrait, with a touching and interesting note. A good reporting work.
TFS
Jorge

thea0211 (1355) 2007-06-23 12:43

beautiful story of a beautiful woman, indeed, catherine!
i would like to add that being an outsider is always a hardest job then living by all norms - so thumbs up and good luck for her.
well captured portrait and surroundings - if they are beautiful to her, they are beautiful to us :)
thanks,
dora

hay_kes (28562) 2007-06-24 2:46

Selam Cahterine,
Güzel bir portre ve iç mekan çalışması.Tebrikler.

hAyAti

keribar (42742) 2007-06-24 2:49

Hello Catherine,
There are indeed some problems with some light parts, and they are easy to fix with photoshop. If I forget about them, the picture is really good and the woman is splendid in her posture and looks.

Friendly regards - Izzet

oochappan (22032) 2007-06-24 12:43

I'm suprised to see this one :)Catherine, a well chosen one fitting perfectly the note as one unit TE-document, telling her story to us. The photo itself, colors are perfectly balanced, well framed her aside in the environment of her home, the white wall a bit overexposed, maybe slight grain reduction + fine sharpening and gaining some depht but this is nitpicking on minor APS-improval details and doesn't have not that much impact on the value of this post.
A good digital start but most an excellent TE-document.
Henk

batalay (20836) 2007-06-25 20:18

Hello Catherine,

I have to commend you for the essay as much as for the superb shot. The photo itself is extraordinary, with excellent composition, colors and definition. The low vantage point you've chosen, honors her immensely — you are putting her on a relative pedestal. Her portrait reveals a strong, confident personality.
Well done,
Bulent

maloutim (3939) 2007-07-16 22:32

Bonjour Catherine!
J'ai lu une grande partie de ta série sur la Cappadoce, que je trouve très riche!
J'avais déjà entendu dire que les Turcs étaient extrèmement accueillants et généreux, même dans leurs conditions de vie difficiles!
Ta photo nous montre bien un intérieur typiquement oriental et est loin de ressembler à un taudis, ce qui aurait pu être le cas , vu la situation de ses habitants.
Le fait que ce soit des habitations troglodytiques, ajoute à l'intérêt des documents. Espérons que les conditios sociales s'amélioreront avec le temps, mais que ces troglodytes pourront être conservés, sans être toutes raflées par les promoteurs pour en faire des hôtels de luxe.
Juste une petite question, en quelle langue communiques-tu avec toutes ces diverses populations que tu visites?
En tous cas, merci du partage!
Marie Louise.

kajspice (4534) 2007-07-31 8:50

Hello Catherine,

It is a fascinating story. I think you are one of the few people whom is really making an effort to find out about people's hardships. You have clearly bonded with this woman in some way and she seems totally relaxed by your presence. She looks relaxed in workshop 1 as well.

I feel you are demonstrating a lot with your basic equipment. What you are doing is far more touching than many posts I see on this forum. Ok, so others have the technical things nailed, but I feel that what you are showing is far more important and rare. In time, you will pick up how to take *better* photographs, but what you are showing is your humane approach to the people you are introducing - I am far more interested in this.

There are some fundamental flaws with your picture Catherine. Whilst I feel you have done a fairly good job with the composition, there were a few bits which I felt were a little untidy. I did a workshop.

I also think it would really benefit if you could get a better view of that room with her in it. I mean, in the workshop picture, you get an idea of how small the room is, as you can see the lace tablecloth. Because I saw the tablecloth in the first picture, I realised how narrow the room is. Perhaps a view of the room looking all the way down, to include the sofa on the left migght give a better idea of scale. I think the workshop image is a little tight, but I imagine it was quite difficult to include everything...

[workshop] [compare] +

nerve (10210) 2007-08-01 0:00

very touching story Catherine. i think you did a very nice photojournalism here.
i like the photo as it is too. (ie, i prefer this natural colours to WS)

yeap, we have lots of poor people in Turkey, but they have always something in common; they try to keep their pride and dignity in most cases (Turks are a bit 'prideful' people i guess.. ;).

i am happy that you are into local people's lives in there but not into cliches..

Tebrik ediyorum, lütfen çalışmalarına devam et,
Selamlar, sevgiler.

canan (963) 2007-08-05 22:57

i believe this is the lady we talked about...i see your point about your senses and the photo reflects it perfeclty..the way she crossed her hands and the red nail polish on her toes are turning the photo into something else..people living in the caves is an untouched subject i think..so can be a very good book with lots of photos...and it is your duty since you are the expert on this subject..therefore, fyi, i am waiting for it:)
and of course "gözüne sağlık"..

Glint (3040) 2007-08-28 2:15

Dear Catherine
both you and Hulya are a delight.I love Hulya for her irrepressibility. She reminds me of my dear sister who hasn't had an easy life either.And I love you for your ability to "see". Your notes too are an inspiration, so full of kindness and warmth.
best wishes
Bev

Polonaise (5634) 2008-01-09 8:21

Priceless...
Wonderfull...
It was thsi (seeemingly very common) picture that broght you to my attention...
Attention became devotion, and I'm forever hooked by the style of your photography...

Warmth of the human contact is there...
Deeply enchanted within your photographs, Cath.

......................