osman abi

I met Osman abi (abi: “big brother”, a warm form of address in Turkish) on the Galata Bridge one September evening. His equipment caught my eye, and so did his price: photo paper costs a fortune now, so how could this man print a photograph for 5 lira? That is how we started talking. We took each other's pictures and talked about life, photography and other things.

“I've been doing photography for twenty, twenty-five years. Made my living from it. It's not like other jobs, no boss, no worker, you work as you please. Hotel work was the best, there were nights I made seven or eight thousand. Now? Honestly, look, I've been here since morning and sold nine. I don't much care, I come to pass the day. I bought myself a plot in Mudurnu, I'm going to raise cattle. Back home it's winter country, how could I do it there? In Van not even grass grows, it's all stone and dirt. Here grass grows even if you don't plant anything. Do you know about this stuff? This lens won't show far away sharp, it shakes like this. I swear I didn't drop it, that scoundrel sold it to me like this. He asked 1,500 lira. Is that expensive? I've got plenty of cameras at home. I love this work, but it's hard, out here in the sun…”