“Dreamweavers,” the stunning cover story for our October issue, followed writer Edward Readicker-Henderson on his quest for the perfect Turkish carpet. The accompanying images, shot by photographer Dustin Aksland, highlighted the delicate and intricate design that threads its way through Istanbul—from the famous carpets to the architecture. We took a look at some of the outtakes that were too good to keep to ourselves and featured them on our Instagram account, @afarmedia. See the full collection of outtakes below—and be sure to check out @afarmedia for more outtakes and behind-the-scenes features with #afarouttakes.

Carpets of all sizes can be spotted around Istanbul—even at teatime.

Do you see a common thread (get it?) between Turkish architecture and intricate carpets?

This stunning shot was a close contender for the October cover.

Believe it or not, Dustin Aksland shot “Dreamweavers” with a broken collarbone. That’s some serious dedication.

It’s no secret that we at AFAR love kahvalti, the classic Turkish breakfast.

Photo by Dustin Aksland

During his 17-hour days, Dustin had to make several coffee runs – including to this café in the trendy Karakoy neighborhood, the “SoHo of Istanbul.”

Photo by Dustin Aksland

Be sure to pick up the October issue of AFAR for the full “Dreamweavers” experience, on newsstands now!
>> Next: Our ultimate guide to Istanbul