Istanbul: One Boot, Two Continents

Istanbul is a city of contrasts – vibrant, beautiful and in constant motion. Situated on the Bosphorus Strait, bridging Europe and Asia, it is the only major city to span two continents. It is also surprisingly hilly, which was far from ideal since I arrived there just six days after fracturing my ankle in New Zealand.

Moving through the city on crutches and in a medical boot proved challenging – so much so that I eventually wore out one of my crutches. However, I'm convinced that the sixty-five kilometres that I "walked" whilst in Istanbul accelerated my rehabilitation.

What could have been a limitation instead became a different way of seeing. Moving more slowly, I began to notice quieter moments in the chaos: gestures, humour, fragments of life unfolding in the streets. The enforced slowness changed how I experienced the city. It made me observe more carefully and respond more deliberately to what was unfolding around me.

These photographs are the result of that altered pace — a record of a city experienced differently, one step at a time.

Street Photography at a different pace.

All the images below were taken during a seven-day trip in March 2026.