A photographic journey through Türkiye
I made a book from a compilation of 314 photographs taken by three of the five travellers: me (aka Kim), Stephen and Caner. I’m not exactly sure why I decided to create a photo book of our travels…. I had already produced 12 themed slideshows to share. The book took six months to make, off and on (mostly ‘on’ at every opportunity).
Preface (abridged):
In late Spring of 2025, Caner, a good friend of ours, invited us to join him on a family visit and tour of Türkiye. Audrey, another friend, soon joined the group and later we were delighted to learn that Caner’s mother Hatice would come along too!
We travelled for four weeks the following Fall. It was such a privilege to meet Caner’s family, friends, and friends of family throughout the trip. Everyone was very welcoming and generous. Turkish hospitality abounds … always with food!
- We drove over 3,000 km (excluding to and from Istanbul)
- We slept in 10 different beds ~ Kocaeli, Istanbul, Bolu, Göreme, Konya, Kaş, Pamukkale, Şirince, Alaçati, and Bursa
- Audrey also slept in the car a lot (aided by Gravol for motion sickness)
- We walked countless kilometres. Thank goodness!
- Breakfasts are huge! Lunches are bigger! and then there’s dinner!! … not to mention the snacks in between!!
- We wandered through more ancient ruins and stopped to admire more cats than you can imagine
We were awestruck, and at times, overwhelmed. Our eyes, ears and stomaches were in constant overdrive. Turkey is a full-body experience. We laughed every day. And our friendships grew ever richer!
Exploring this country together was an unforgettable experience!
I took digital photographs for this trip, which translated into so many more photographs to view and cull. Caner removed some of his photos before uploading but he gave me full range to pick and choose the best shots. I managed to whittle his pile down to about 8,000 after going through more than 11,000 in the first cull. Stephen’s pile was much more manageable.
General Workflow
Making a book involves iterative steps. However, in general, this was my process:
- Gather & Organize Photographs – Create folders, assign copyrights
- Review & Cull – Get a neutral review, then cull some more
- Look for Patterns – Draft a list of chapters, choose photos
- Draft Front & Back Segments – Title, dedication, preface, credits
- Edit Photographs – Use image organizing & editing software for minor adjustments
- Print Contact Sheets – Begin sequencing photographs
- Create Book Outline – Use desktop publishing software for book assembly
- Create Draft Copy – Start putting it all together, get another neutral review
- Submit to On Demand Printer – Choose book format & specs. Upload covers, spine, body
The Results
“Treasured Memories” was a gift for my fellow travellers and their families. It was very challenging at times and it took much longer than I anticipated – it wouldn’t be a project otherwise. I finally learned to use Affinity Publisher, and overall it was a very gratifying project.
Book Order: Limited edition of 6 copies, printed by Mixam.ca
Size: 8″ x 10″ Landscape
Body: Smyth Sewn (binding), Full-colour printing, 236 pages, 100lb Satin Text paper
Cover: Hard cover, Full-colour printing (outside), Matte Lamination (outside)
End Papers: Stock White
Content organized by topic: Travel Mates – Paths Taken – Cats & Dogs – Family & Friends – Food & Hospitality – Turkish Wonders
What a beautifully done book of our trip together! ….It brings back so many good memories. You so careful chose pictures to show our awe of the sites and our moments of just enjoying togetherness. Just thanking you isn’t enough but it will have to do till I come over one day …. Till then WOW WOW WOW!
~ Audreyp.s. Probably will bring me a lot of joy in the old folks home one day! Amazing..
