stephenmay

Basilica Cistern - Istanbul

The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul. Built in the 6th century during the Byzantine era, this cistern is the largest of many located beneath Istanbul. The cistern w...
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The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul. Built in the 6th century during the Byzantine era, this cistern is the largest of many located beneath Istanbul. The cistern was also a location used in the Bond film, From Russia with Love and a location that is central in Dan Brown's book, Inferno. The structure was breathtaking in person, but very poorly lit. Unfortunately, tripods aren't permitted (security actually confiscated my tripod temporarily!) To get this shot, I improvised by setting the camera down on the wet floor, getting down on hands and knees, and doing long exposures to get as much detail as possible. My wife later told me that people were crowding around behind me to see what I was looking at on the floor!

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