Rachael Bennett

The arched tunnel shades the harsh glare of the sun while a stray man walks pensively towards the cliff where he will be overwhelmed by the breath taking views. The clouds hang just above his head like a canopy of light from the heavens.

Rachael Bennett

This is a picture I did not take of two women taking a photo at the top of the Temple of Artemis. They looked content and relaxed as they stood smiling for a camera. I wondered about how many people had stood there watching the sun set and rise over the beautiful monuments of Artemis. As the blue sky arched over the green trees and shady grey ruins, the women stayed smiling as I walked on by.

Damla Coşkun

Two ladies are looking at emptiness, at a point of sunlight and the pure sky finishing each other with historical stones untouchable, seems like these stones were waiting millions of years to take this picture.

Damla Coşkun

This is a picture that I did not take from the bus of five birds sitting on an electrical wire that were looking towards immortality, but they were just looking at the sea with a pure sky; when I saw their nonchalance, I felt peaceful.

Trip Lawrence

A single pathway guarded by the walls of ancient times moves us to a temple which once stood tall and proud above it.

Trip Lawrence

This a picture I did not take of ancient knowledge, deprived of its essence, a shell empty. Though empty, the shell is a beautiful place of unknown, unseen and unheard knowledge. Deserted long ago, it is reborn with its new servants of red bowing at their stems down before it. This is the library of Efes.

Ahmet Tamer

Two trees, grass, beautiful bushes and flowers, it explains my feelings towards nature. It is so beautiful but so plain. After looking at the photo, the mood on the bus on the school trip got much lighter and happier.

Ahmet Tamer

This is a picture I did not take of Erkin, me and Mr. Lail in the genuine fake watches shop. We had wanted to buy a fake watch at the beginning of the trip, but we couldn't because of time. We found that time at the bottom city of Efes. Erkin and I bought a fake Omega watch for 50 TL each. They seemed very nice and we had the erg to buy one at the first, but the more I looked at it the more ugly, cheap it seemed (it was way too expensive for a stupid fake watch as well). I wanted to give it back, but he didn't take it. Then Mr.Lail came and said we had to go. I wasn't giving up. I put the watch on the table and right as I was leaving he returned the money. Everyone except the clerk was happy.

Soren Gönül

This is Priene, where the huge blocks lay in a tremendously and extremely big valley; the sunshine was on the blocks and on the temple.

Soren Gönül

This is a picture I did not take of a little river shivering through its way, passing through trees and going to a huge river as animals drank from it, a beautiful picture of nature.

Sibel Akyürek

This is a picture of a sheep gleefully enjoying the beaming sun a munching away at the fresh green grass beneath its feet, as me and my friends selfishly put his happiness on hold to take a few memorable pictures.

Sibel Akyürek

This is a picture I did not take of a creamy and ginger colored cat camouflaged in the ancient mosaics of Ephesus Turkey rubbing and scratching his back not really noticing the red and black bars keeping me and my friends away from ruining and stumbling on the precious cream, orange, red and blue tiles we call history.

Mahir Onat Topal

A beautiful landscape that fascinated everybody who saw it. While being probably the only thing that was able to survive and come to our time unharmed in Ephesus, I desperately hope that this landscape to stay untouched in the future...

Mahir Onat Topal

This is a photograph I did not take in Ephesus, where an old man and an old woman were hugging, with a tree above and a cliff behind them. Everywhere was bright with the sunshine and they were under the tree's shadow, which made them more distinct in the scenery. Before, they were probably watching the gigantic mountains with bright green grass under, but now, it seemed as though the mountains were watching them.

Zarina Ahmad Shukri

Virgin Mary's House, Turkey - Burning wishes spread fumes rising to the heavens, a young woman looks ghostly away from the glass barrier and into Mary's dwelling where hope filled the air like a cloud settling in the hills.

Zarina Ahmad Shukri

This is a picture I did not take of a lush green valley burning with an invisible fire as murky green Cyprus trees acted like smoke among the vibrantly coloured flowers which after a dark, gloomy journey seemed so surreal and distant, my mind wondered to my memories of when the sight of green was daily and everywhere ruins scattered in a contrast between the many centuries bringing me to ancient Rome as if the memories were my own.

Emre Ulusoy

I took this picture of antiquated and cultural works of art at noontime. These magnificent buildings were made in the Roman Period and are now in ruins.

Emre Ulusoy

This is a picture I did not take of an aged and misshapen hut that was housing five family members, who were happy no matter where they were living, only glad they were together. Their joyful actions, under the midday sunlight, were the behavior of a merry family, in the depths of the ancient Ephesus.

Nora Havelaar

Ege is finally permitted to satisfy the thirst for height that has been consuming him all day. Clutching his newly acquired fez in one hand, he beams down at those pinned to the safety of the ground, encouraging them to climb up and share in his joy.

Nora Havelaar

This is a picture I did not take of a beach on the Mediterranean, with the sun shining down as grade eight students collect rocks from the few areas in which they can be found. Before long, girls are running and splashing each other in delight while the boys are burning each other with their magnifying glasses and the adults drink tea. Everyone is happy and free and grateful that the walls of their classrooms have been temporarily removed.

Furkan Altunyaldız

The extensive amphitheater, which can hold up to 6500 people, is still standing in our days. The 500-year-old structure was built in the Dark Age, and was once in the presence of Persians till Alexander the Great took over. Now it belongs to Turkey in modern times.

Furkan Altunyaldız

This is a picture I did not take of my cruel teacher pulling a prank on my friend as we were on the bus on our way back from our trip to Ephesus. My helpless friend snoozing as our teacher ties her shoes together and my ludicrous friend paints a mustache on her face.

Doğa Altınışık

A flowerbed lying right beside the entrance of an ancient city surviving for centuries leaving ruins of history behind. It may look like an ordinary daisy bed, but the sun and the beauty of the colors makes it a memory unforgettable.

Doğa Altınışık

This is a photo I did not take of a tourist about 60-70 years old at Priene, Turkey, fascinated by the beauty of the ancient ruins, taking a photo so quickly that it looks like he's scared that they can get destroyed any minute. Behind him stands a tree, its roots dug inside the soil to find water in this deserted area, where its shade looks like a perfect spot to rest; under it a butterfly landing on top of a daisy. When we see the beauty of the nature we can actually understand why ancient people chose such a perfect spot to live their lives.

Berke Osman Kababulut

The gorgeous and gigantic amphitheater carried on till our present day that was built in the dark ages (1400-1500 B.C.) This amphitheater can hold 6500 people. Today it is in Turkey's borders.

Berke Osman Kababulut

This is a picture I did not take of a beautiful young lady, her eyes huge and angelic. She was looking straight into my eyes, like she needed help. She was carrying a white trash bag; she was poor and she seemed to be afraid of something. When she was walking very fast in the same time she was looking back. She made me realize that I was lucky to have all of these delightful clothes and a house to live in.

Ege Kurt

Remains of an old house on top of a small hill: The house is covered with lush plants. Vitaly is climbing on top of it. The house is really small but it has two floors. While Vitaly is climbing to the top, me and my friends help each other to climb to the second floor.

Ege Kurt

This picture I did not take of me pulling Melisa T, Melisa B, Naz, and Ilayda up an old house in Ephesus city. The rubble of the building scratching us while we climb up. Vitaly is climbing up to the top. The walls are flat but it has holes, which make it easier to climb. We feared falling down because the drained river makes the fall steeper than it should be. If we didn't have each other we wouldn't have been able to climb. This showed teamwork.

Deniz Onural

At the top of the gracious ancient town of Ephesus, two men standing still as if going to start to talk, unaware that the lands they once lived, their families, and even parts of themselves are gone with the brutal time that has past while waiting there, right on the short mountain top.

Deniz Onural

This is a picture I did not take of a small girl; sad for the few tours she had given for the cottage that she had to earn money from. Once we had decided to take the tour, her expression of happiness was like a dwarf next to mine that had formed with surprise of stone walls, wooden ceilings and an overall effect which couldn't be matched by the work of the best architects which we see in top quality interior design magazines despite to my low expectations.

Ahmet Gürbüz

The flower was by itself on the exquisite grass. It was sparkling on the grass like it was the last flower in the entire world, all apart and all exhausted.

Ahmet Gürbüz

This is a picture I did not take of my friend beholding the girl he loved. He was staring at the girl, chattering with her and always opening another subject like he never wanted to stop talking. His eyes were sparkling and he was displaying the girl he loved her in his brown and enormous eyes.

Beliz Çakmak

As I lay on the rocks, the sunbeams shine on nature's basic flower which I am holding in my gentle hand and turns the flower into some precious one and makes it seem different, a sight which makes everyone that sees it fall in love with it.

Beliz Çakmak

This is a picture I did not take of a grown woman lighting up her candle with the help other the ones burning and outside Mary's House near Ephesus, putting her candle to the very far corner of the open box to protect it from the wind surrounding the air. From her facial expressions, you could see that she was wishing a very deep and thoughtful wish.

Maria Volkova

A beautiful sunset at the seaside of Kusadasi with the boat harbor not far away the clouds rolling backwards taking away with them the last rays of the days sun like a giant the earth takes its last look around as the heavy eyelids of the night close down the blanket of darkness wraps itself around the exhausted earth I look at this wonderful relaxing view from our hotel room taking it forever with me the end of the day, but also my first photo the beginning of something perhaps an adventure?

Maria Volkova

This is a picture I did not take on the way to Ephesus of two local Turkish women dressed in traditional Turkish clothing, their bright coloured baggy pants a sharp contrast to the greyness of the barren and desiccated dirt road and their own village, head scarves suspended by the wind, one pink like a flower, the other as blue as the sky, a donkey in between them with bushes burdened on its back walking ponderously in between them, the sun in front of them their shadows dancing behind them clumsily as they advanced towards their devastated houses.

Vitaly Bachinsky

A morning in Priene, green all over the hills with trees like buildings in a city and ruins looking like people rushing to those buildings. The ruins lie on the grass and squish it with their heavy weight: the weight that was given to them long ago and then being destroyed into smaller and smaller pieces and becoming lighter and lighter to end up being like sand after awhile, to not harm anymore grass.

Vitaly Bachinsky

This is a picture I did not take in Priene of a person standing on a hill far away from me surrounded by trees and thoughts, having a private moment probably thinking about something important or private that might have happened to him before, so with the decision he came to think it all out and decide what important step in his life he should take next, or maybe he was just enjoying the view.

Jumpei Sasatani

In the ancient ruins of Ephesus, the public toilets are still present. After 2000 years, Jumpei Sasatani sits on the ancient toilet, experiencing the best history of Turkey.

Jumpei Sasatani

This is a picture I did not take of an old woman picking up the wishes by the cottage of a mother who sacrificed her life for the prosperity of Christianity and her beloved son; Jesus Christ. The wishes are done by the tourists who come to celebrate and honor Virgin Mary, and also to wish their dreams to come true. The woman who was picking the wishes had dignity and looked like she is very confident and proud for devoting her life as a servant of Christianity forever.

Ceren Erdoğan

A drained policeman, carrying his badge arrogantly, cautiously watching the out-of-towners. The affectionate sun, spoilt distinctive juvenility made him fed up with his job. This foreworn warrior was insistently waiting for his shift to be over.

Ceren Erdoğan

This is a picture I did not take of Ahmet and me lying on the floor, laughing to death, because our peace was ruined by İlayda when she stomped on the cushy bed. The precious bed, bent into half, squatted on the nasty floor. Everyone else was just having a laughing fit as Ahmet and me did, while watching İlayda blamelessly titter.

Erim Demirel

The forenoon sun gleaming on the delicate rows of white makes it even more pleasurable for the sacrosanct masses, listening to the sermons and ceremonies.

Erim Demirel

This is a picture I did not take of a phenomenal boy of possible Indian origin who was changed each & every day by the hollering sounds that came out of him. The dowdy old hotel tried to accept this situation in its blank walls, falling upon him, almost as if they want to make him go away. It was definitely outrageous for such a small boy to wander around and talk to us, total strangers, but as time showed us what we needed most, friendship, we recognized that he was acting in a strange way like this for his needs, to make new friends.

Elif Haydar

The path that was created by the ancient dwellers of the Ephesus city with hard work, made the best-valued stones, which cannot be made today. Now it's left ruined as huge rocks, for us to examine the beauty of the lifestyle of the ancient times, for us to dream of how it would be, but never to know the truth.

Elif Haydar

This is a picture I did not take under the sunlight, with our stomach's jammed, with the sound of baby sheep, with the view of antique Ephesus, Ms. Helmer providing a black and white domestic tiger with white paws, perfect long whiskers like make up has been done, with ice white teeth and an amazingly clean body, a piece of fish, and a pet on the head for love which can be considered the biggest treasure a lonely cat could ever think of, leaving this loyal creature with finally a full stomach which will be digested, but the love she has left behind, never to be forgotten.

Izgi Yavuz

On a very hot day in the marvelous and antique city Ephesus, the glowing yellow flower was tired of the heat and begged for water, around all the dead souls.

Izgi Yavuz

This is a picture I did not take of a white, charming flower coming out of the stones of Ancient Ephesus, sunlight beaming on it made the flower look like it was made from bliss, beneath the massive columns and stones, the golden lines hit its petals. The gorgeous view and the dead spirits, made it look like it rose from the past.

Ekin Demirörs

On a trip to Ephesus, the agreement of two colors in a simple flower can change everything in an independent observer's remembrance.