I used an 18mm wideangle focal length to stretch the frame, embracing a multitude of pigeons that make Istanbul’s New Mosque their home. The man in the middle of it all sells pigeon feed to any one who might want to keep them happy. The image is bizarrely incongruous – seldom is one man seen surrounded by so many birds. He seems totally oblivious to his attraction. The wideangle lens has distorted his chair so that it seems to lean crazily, an effect that only increases the bizarre nature of this image.

(After posting this image, my friend Tim May, who was standing next to me while I made this photograph, tells me that this man is blind. This additional context brings a new dimension of meaning to this image -- he can't see either the birds or his customers, so he must use his other senses, particularly his hearing, to sense what is happening around him.)