When dear Mete said that he wanted to do the pre-wedding photo shoots in Izmir, I was quite excited. Ask why: Mete was a Turk who arrived from Jakarta Indonesia. His fiancee, Renata, was Indonesian. They were both fitness professionals and looked great. For the shooting location, they wanted the magnificent ancient city of Ephesus. You can find the rest of the article “Ephesus Pre Wedding Photographer ” under the photos…
The history of the city of Ephesus goes back to the Neolithic period, about 8600 years ago. In the Hellenistic period, its star begins to shine and it becomes one of the 12 cities of Ionia. In 560 BC, the city was built around the Temple of Artemis, one of the 7 wonders of the world. Unfortunately, only a few marbles remain from this temple today. Ephesus, BC during the Roman period. In the 2nd century, it reaches a population of 200,000 and becomes the capital of the province of Asia. The city is becoming one of the important port cities of world trade. But land from rivers fills the harbor in the 4th century, and the city is miles away from the sea. After that, the city begins to lose its importance. In the Byzantine period, it was completely moved to the present Selçuk town.
The Largest Open-Air Theater in the Ancient World
First of all, it was necessary to apply to the Selçuk İzmir Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and get permission for the shooting. We wanted to start shooting in the morning before anyone arrived, and we completed the permit procedures the day before. When we arrived at the city entrance on the morning of the shooting, they let us in right away. We first started with the Grand Theatre. Mete and Renata have already given the first signals that they will do a great job here.
This is truly a magnificent building. It is the largest open-air theater in the ancient world with a capacity of 24 thousand people. Events are still held here with special permissions. One month after this shooting, I had the chance to watch Carmina Burana opera here. The atmosphere was truly fascinating.
Iconic Celsus Library
Then we reached the Celsus Library by walking the Marble Road. This is the city’s most iconic structure. It was built as a mausoleum for Celsus, the governor of Ephesus, who died in 106. We also had a very enjoyable shoot here. I can even say that we did half of the shooting here. Our next destination was Hadrian’s Temple on the columned road. After shooting both on the road and at the temple, we made the finale in Oregon, where the advisory council meetings were also held.
The energy of the couple and their willingness to take pictures made my job much easier. Moreover, they were my first and only couple to shoot barefoot outside of the beaches. I think the black clothes they wore as a contrast to the texture added extra flavor to everything. I wish endless happiness to Mete and Renata. Hoping to meet them in Indonesia as soon as possible.
Ephesus Pre Wedding Photographer by Ufuk Sarisen
