Image Focus

I was passing through the small Turkish village of Sofular when I saw these clouds of smoke rising nearby. Instinctively I drove my car to find the source of the billowing smoke, not expecting to capture such a great image with my Sony Alpha 7 III Camera.

I discovered that the smoke was coming from an old-fashioned charcoal pit where several men worked. The Turkish name of this profession is 'Torlukculuk', and the pits are called 'Torluk'. In many parts of Turkey, people still use charcoal for heating, so charcoal is in demand. This ancient profession is still common as it is cheaper than charcoal produced in factories. The workers cut wood from the oak trees in a nearby forest, and then the wood is cleaned and prepared. The workers make vast dome piles from the logs and branches, which they then compact, along with a mixture of soil and straw. Then the dome is set on fire.

Workers have to climb on top of the pile every three hours to control the slow-burning. The whole burning process continues for about two weeks, with the burning dome watched day and night. When I went there, I first met coal workers. We had tea, chatted, and I asked if I could take a photo. They responded positively to my request.

I used my Alpha 7 III and Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM lens and merged five vertical photos to create a panoramic image. I'm mostly known for my panoramic photos. This image is a part of a collection called ‘Panotheraphy' that I have been making for many years.

Many photographers would perhaps take portraits of workers or take a casual wide-angle photo. But this is not my method. I always shoot places, streets, landscapes in panorama format, so I can capture the moment in its widest form. Panoramic images are, for me, the mathematics of photography. That's why wide-angle lenses are indispensable for me. The Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM is an excellent lens that provides ultra-wide-angle and medium wide-angle possibilities. The Sony Alpha 7 III is the camera I always prefer to use for such trips. It is ideal for me to have a long battery life, SteadyShot to prevent camera shake and great ergonomics.

It was a challenging shoot for me because there was so much smoke. I covered my mouth and nose so I wouldn't inhale too much of the smoke, but I was glad I went there because there were so many beautiful photos.

There is a tremendous physical effort involved in producing the charcoal, and I wanted to show the world the story of the people who work in these difficult conditions. For me, it was a pleasure to witness different life stories. One of the best parts of photography is learning different ways of life.