A Family Revisited

While studying abroad in Istanbul in 2002, Swedish photographer Stefan Bladh had a friend show him neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city to get a fuller view of Turkish society. One morning, they passed a motorway bridge and saw a group sitting around a campfire. When he went over to talk to them, the family of 11 welcomed Bladh and his guide with tea. “They were very open and told us about their situation and life,” he says. “I got very touched. They were so humble and had an open mentality, so I decided to go back.”