Tirana Diaries

© Eni Turkeshi Photography

This is a new project i`ve started.I will try to bring here pieces from Tirana`s everyday life.
Hope you`ll enjoy.

a touch of spice

This is the name of a lovely greek-turkish movie i run across 3 nights before as i was carelessly zapping on tv.
Bthw i have to say that as far as i have noticed , telenorba,ufo tv,koha tv are the best movie showing tv`s in Albania, at least in my opinion.I like their different choices.I watched the movie at Telenorba .
Regarding the movie, if i was to describe it in 2 words i`d say : heartwarming & colorful.
The movie is the story of a greek family living in Istanbul , forced to leave the city during the Cypriot conflict.
The most powerful bond on the movie is the spiritual bond between Fanis and his grandpa , a culinary philosopher and mentor.
He learns a lot from his grandpa`s special way of seeing the world and of course from his culinary skills and miracles.He learns to perceive things in a different way , spicing his vision and mastering his soul using the power of colors,odors of cuisine spices.
He becomes a fantastic cook , a talent which of course does astonish many persons including here his first love and the love of his life , the beautiful Saime.
He persuades her to dance for him and in exchange for that he`d cook.
The moment Saime dances is such a perfect , beautiful prelude to their naive love relationship.
This relationship is never mentioned but everyone is aware of the fact.

When Fanis and his family are forced to leave to Athens, he is separated from the 2 most beloved persons : his grandpa and Saime.
It`s a hard time for all the family to leave their life in Istanbul and their memories (i so much sympathize with them here bthw, since i`m experiencing the same thing) , but the merry family unions and the joyful meals makethe reality more easy to be accepted and it prevents the movie itself to become a melodrama.
I`m not going to tell you the whole movie here , but i wanna mention what i liked best of it of course:)
The dialogues , the quotes on cuisine, habits,spices and dishes raises the optimistic spirit on the movie.

Some of the cool quotes of the movie on cuisine and spices were:

1.Spice is used to spice up your life as well.
2.Cinnamon is bitter and sweet.Just like a woman.
3.I also liked what Fanis tells about appetizers:They play the role of preparing the people for difficult situations.They are just like intermediary steps.

I found it really cool.I had never thought of appetizers this way before.

Well, what amazed me most of course was the amazing Istanbul visuality, so masterfully shown.
As a person that has been living there for almost 11 years , and now has left that lovely city , it was like a promenade of infinite longing.
To conclude : This movie may be well called a hymn of longing , love,compassion,passion and life as ambiance.
To me it was like a very cool combination of Tornatore, Jean Pierre Jeunet,Nabaki style.

I would highly recommend you this movie.
More info here : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378897/

imdb point : 7,5 from 10

Rrotullime rreth shpirtit

© Eni Turkeshi Photography

Eja , hape syrin e shpirtit

Eja,hape syrin e shpirtit

pa shikoji keta te dashuruar :

Si jane rrethuar krejtesisht

si nje zemer e vetme,

si kane marre formen e nje shpirti

pa duar e pa kembe.

Jane me te qeshur se nje bahce,

se nje trendafil.

jane me te drejte se dituria

me te afte se vete mendja

me te lire se selvia

Me te kthjellet e me te qarte se uji i pavdekesise

Jane perhere lozonjare si atomet.

Dielli eshte kaftani i tyre

E kane shkelur balten ,

mbeshtetur koken ne gjurin e zemres

Kane kaluar siper gjakrave

siper dallgeve te detrave te pergjakur.

Por veshjet i kane serish te pastra

dhe te paperlyera.

Jane mes gjembave , por si trendafila.

Jane brenda burgut , por si vere.

Jane brenda baltes ,por si nje zemer.

Jane brenda nates , por si nje mengjes,

Ti provo te pish nje here nga vera e tyre dhe shih

sesi papritmas, qetesohet

ndricohet zemra jote,

si harrohet cdo gje,

si fillojne te te qeshin syte.

Mevlana Jalal ad-din Muhammad Rumi

awareness on "artistic"egoism

http://www.facebook.com/inbox/readmessage.php?t=57823968933#/video/video.php?v=1047327936724&ref=mf

I was speechless.It stroke me right to the heart.
This video , made me re-think on an issue i'm always very sensible while taking photos.
Trying not to be egoist.
I always try not to act this way , eventhough sometimes it might be hard .
I mean , you just can't fight the instict to paralyse that special moment.
I don't know what forces me to do it , but sometimes it can be stronger than you.
You just want to capture that "very moment".
Nevertheless, what I have always tried to do , while taking photos of people,was approaching to them in a very sincere & honest way.
I know this might be risky on loosing the candid moments and the naivete, but still i don't find it honest to get advantage of some situations that might turn out to be "great artistic hits".
I don't find it ethic , to profit by such hard situations , just to achieve , a genuine work.
Of course i don't have any word on photojournalist or war photographers , they're just documenting a fact , that's gonna be history later on.
My word is , on popular-wanna be photographers , that barefacedly try to get this "particular gems that are screaming human pain" .
This one , yes i do detest.
We owe some respect & reliance to the people whose feelings of (pain,madness,loneliness etc) are documented and scattered everywhere.This is the least that should be done.

Spiritual window

© Eni Turkeshi Photography

don't neglect the beauty of your spiritual window, even when the reality window is disappointing...

4 seasons

© Eni Turkeshi Photography
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe-MIDDfckw

Azizcan

© Eni Turkeshi Photography

On my trip from the asiatic part of Istanbul to the european one, i was looking thoughtful through the ferry to find s.t/s.one interesting to take the picture of.

Suddenly , i run across the keen, stark eyes of this kid looking at me in a very curious way.
When i directed the camera he started to laugh and to pose , like he'd been a model his whole life:)

He was so happy to be photographed and i was so glad to find such a lovely, cute volunteer poser.
After taking the photo , i told his mom (who thanked me a lot too), that i could post this pic to her email.

She told me she didn't have one and she added in a very proud and generous way :
Let this be a memory from him.
His name is Azizcan:) Don't forget about him.

Tell me , can i ever forget about him ? :)