Service
Photoshoots
Professional photoshoots in Istanbul, Cappadocia and Pamukkale — a photographer who knows the locations and the light, for couples and content creators.
Enquire about PhotoshootsAbout this service
What we handle
Most photographs people bring home from Turkey are taken at the wrong time of day in the wrong spot, with a crowd in the frame. A planned shoot fixes all three. You get a professional photographer, locations chosen for how they look rather than how famous they are, and a start time set by the light — which in practice usually means sunrise.
This is a service we are unusually well placed to run. Turkan Travels grew out of Türkan Atay's own travel content, so the locations, the angles and the hours they actually work are not researched — they are the places she has been shooting for years. That covers the obvious frames and the ones most visitors never find.
It works for several kinds of traveller: couples and honeymooners wanting proper photographs rather than phone snaps, families marking a trip together, and content creators who need a volume of usable material from a short stay. Cappadocia at sunrise with the balloons rising behind you is the single most requested shoot we arrange.
What’s included
- A professional photographer for the agreed session
- Locations scouted and chosen for light and crowd levels
- Sunrise and golden-hour scheduling
- Transfers between locations during the shoot
- Edited images delivered after the session
- Couples, honeymoon, family, solo and content-creator shoots
- Cappadocia sunrise shoots with balloons in frame, weather permitting
- Guidance on outfits, timings and what works on camera
How it works
Tell us what you need
Send your dates, group size and what you have in mind. Asking costs nothing and puts you under no obligation.
We put a plan together
You get a written proposal with options and costs, built around your trip rather than pulled off a shelf.
You confirm
Change anything you want changed. Nothing is booked until you are happy with it.
We handle the arrangements
Bookings, timings and coordination on the ground are ours to manage. You travel.
Good to know
- Pricing
- Quoted per session after enquiry, based on location, session length and how many edited images you want.
- Best time
- Sunrise and the hour before sunset. Midday light is harsh and the popular locations are at their most crowded.
- Locations
- Istanbul's old city and Bosphorus, the Cappadocian valleys, and the travertine terraces at Pamukkale.
- Delivery
- Edited images are delivered digitally after the shoot. The turnaround is confirmed with your photographer at booking.
- Permits
- Some sites restrict professional equipment or charge a fee. We check the specific locations before your session.
- Weather
- Balloons in a Cappadocia sunrise shoot cannot be guaranteed — they fly only when conditions allow.
Questions about photoshoots
Where can I have a photoshoot?
The locations we know best: Istanbul's old city, the Bosphorus waterfront and the streets of Karaköy and Ortaköy; the valleys and viewpoints of Cappadocia; and the white travertine terraces at Pamukkale. If you have a specific place in mind, tell us and we will say honestly whether it photographs as well as it looks online.
What time of day is best?
Sunrise, in almost every case. The light is better, the sites are empty, and in Cappadocia the balloons are up. The hour before sunset is the second-best window. Midday is the worst of both worlds — hard shadows and the largest crowds.
How many photos do I get and when?
Both depend on the session length and package you choose, and are agreed in writing before the shoot rather than left open. Images are delivered digitally after editing, with the turnaround confirmed by your photographer at the time of booking.
Do you arrange honeymoon and couples shoots?
Yes, and they are among the most common requests. Couples shoots are usually built around sunrise at one location with a change of scene afterwards. Tell us if you are celebrating something specific and we will plan the session around it.
Can I get photographed with the hot air balloons?
That is the signature Cappadocia shoot and we arrange it regularly. The one honest caveat is that balloons fly only when the wind allows, so their presence cannot be promised on any given morning. If your dates have flexibility, keep a second morning free as a backup.
Do I need a permit to shoot at these locations?
Some sites restrict professional equipment or charge a fee for commercial photography, and the rules differ site by site and change from time to time. We check the specific locations in your session before the day, so you are not turned away at the entrance.
Where you can use it
Interested in photoshoots?
Tell us your dates and what you have in mind — we'll come back with options and costs.