light chasing in adana: my camera's seen better days

adana's been a whirlwind. i'm a freelance photographer here for a week, shooting for some travel mag, but the weather's been playing badminton with my plans. i just checked and it's 10 degrees celsius with 90% humidity-feels like i'm breathing soup. my lens keeps fogging up, and i'm pretty sure my camera body is developing a rash from the damp air. i'm thinking of wrapping it in rice bags, but that might be desperate.

the city's gritty, which is great for street photography, but the light's been flat. i heard from a local at the kebab shop that the golden hour over the seyhan river is unreal, but tripadvisor reviews say it's crowded with tourists posing for selfies. someone told me to check out the tepebağ neighborhood for authentic scenes, and yelp has a few cafe recommendations that are actually decent. i've been pounding the pavement, trying to capture the essence of this place before my deadline looms, but my feet are killing me in these boots.

if you get bored, mersin's just a short drive east, and you can even pop over to cyprus from yumurtalık if you have a ferry ticket. but honestly, i'm too tired to move. my back's killing me from carrying a 5d mark iv and two lenses all day. i'm considering renting a bike just to save my spine, but adana's traffic is a nightmare.

here's the spot i've been camping out for shots:

i've been snapping everything from the sıteler district to the adana castle ruins. the light in the morning by the old bridge is magic, but by noon, it's harsh and unflattering. i'm using my 35mm prime mostly, but i wish i had a 50mm f/1.2 for the low light in the evenings when the streets come alive with vendors. i lost my memory card yesterday-or think i did-and had to retrace my steps through the bazaar. found it in my pocket, but not before i had a minor panic attack. the smells of spices and sweat are unforgettable though.

speaking of evenings, i found this little tea house near the post office in the 300997 area-cheap and the owner plays oud on fridays. perfect for resting my feet and editing shots on my laptop. oh, and if you need a taxi, don't trust the numbers on the windscreens; i called 1792655353 once and got aalking bill for a ride i never took. lesson learned: use the adana taxi app instead. also, the humidity is ruining my film-yes, i still shoot some film-and i'm paranoid about mold. maybe i should buy a dehumidifier, but where would i put it in my backpack?

for food, kebab is king, but i heard the best lahmacun is at a place called "zeytin" on hasan paşa caddesi. check out the reviews on tripadvisor, but take them with a grain of salt. locals swear by a stall by the river that doesn't even have a sign. i spent an hour looking for it based on gossip, and it was worth the blisters. i read on a forum that the best börek is at a place hidden in the otogar, but when i went, it was closed. someone else said it moved to the airport. adana's food scene is a maze of hearsay.

now, some shots i got today:

that bench by the park? i waited an hour for that perfect light, but the clouds rolled in. still, moody-i kept it for the texture. the person was an old man feeding pigeons; i got his permission, but he didn't speak english. we communicated with smiles.

seyhan river at dusk. the bridge lights came on just in time, and i caught a fisherman casting his line. pure serendipity. i had to jack up my iso to 3200, but the grain added character.

this is actually from the dam lake outside town. i went there for a change of scenery, but it was foggy as hell. thought i'd get clear reflections, but ended up with this eerie vibe. sometimes the best shots are the ones you don't plan. i met a couple of birdwatchers who shared their thermos of tea. adana's strangers can be surprisingly kind.

for more on adana's hidden gems, i recommend this local blog: adana daily - not sponsored, just a good read. and if you're into photography gear, b&h photo has a great used section online. i'm eyeing a new lens but my budget's tight from the flight over. also, the adana tourism board has maps if you get lost, but their english is spotty.

anyway, i need to sleep. my alarm's set for 5am to catch the fishermen at the docks. let's hope the weather cooperates and i don't get mugged for my gear. adana's got edge, but that's what makes it photogenic, right? i've been chasing light for years, and this city... it's messy, but it's real. someone told me that the real adana is in the backstreets, not in the postcard spots. i think i'm starting to believe it.

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