History of Armenian photographers in the Middle East

[John Kasaian]

I came across this article recently and would like to post a link to it here
https://agbu.org/armenian-woman/portable-trade
The photographs I think are large format and the article might spur some interesting conversation
regarding photography and Émigré populations.
Enjoy!

[Alan Klein]

Yousuf Karsh is Armenian.

[Tin Can]

I had a young customer that was proudly part of the Armenian House (http://armenianhouse.org/)

They had a House/Hall on Devon, he always found me, we chatted in the Cuban gas station

[jnantz]

Not in the near east but there was a father-son street portrait team in Besanscon France between 1905-1915. I wish I saved the link I've been looking for their names for 15 years!

[Serge S]

Yousuf Karsh is Armenian.

Extract pulled from the Ottawa Jewish Archives:

"Before Karsh became a world-renowned photographer, he was a Jewish refugee, fleeing from violence, persecution and starvation during the Armenian Genocide in what is now present day Turkey.

At 16, his parents sent him to live with his uncle George Nakash - a talented photographer in his own right - in Sherbrooke, Quebec. When his uncle began to train him in the medium it quickly became apparent that Karsh had both a great talent, and a great passion for photography.

In 1931 after a three year apprenticeship at a Boston studio, he decided to strike out and start his own career, and he chose the city of Ottawa in which to do so."

[jnantz]

there's a good bio of Karsh in his own words
https://web.archive.org/web/20220913172604/https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1962/10/6/the-private-life-of-yousuf-karsh

[John Kasaian]

Extract pulled from the Ottawa Jewish Archives:

"Before Karsh became a world-renowned photographer, he was a Jewish refugee, fleeing from violence, persecution and starvation during the Armenian Genocide in what is now present day Turkey.

At 16, his parents sent him to live with his uncle George Nakash - a talented photographer in his own right - in Sherbrooke, Quebec. When his uncle began to train him in the medium it quickly became apparent that Karsh had both a great talent, and a great passion for photography.

In 1931 after a three year apprenticeship at a Boston studio, he decided to strike out and start his own career, and he chose the city of Ottawa in which to do so."

Karsh's apprenticeship in Boston apparently was under the tutelage of Garo, another prominent Armenian photographer.

[jnantz]

Karsh's apprenticeship in Boston apparently was under the tutelage of Garo, another prominent Armenian photographer.

Garo was the best of the best ... so weird he is virtually unknown and sad all his glass plates, negatives and prints vanished (maybe into a dumpster) after he died penniless. I was fortunate see one of his enormous platinum and gum pictorialist images at a frame shop years ago, it was one of the most beautiful prints I have ever seen ...

[jnantz]

Extract pulled from the Ottawa Jewish Archives:

"Before Karsh became a world-renowned photographer, he was a Jewish refugee, fleeing from violence, persecution and starvation during the Armenian Genocide in what is now present day Turkey.

At 16, his parents sent him to live with his uncle George Nakash - a talented photographer in his own right - in Sherbrooke, Quebec. When his uncle began to train him in the medium it quickly became apparent that Karsh had both a great talent, and a great passion for photography.

In 1931 after a three year apprenticeship at a Boston studio, he decided to strike out and start his own career, and he chose the city of Ottawa in which to do so."

Hi Serge S

That was a mistake posted on the webpage. He was a Christian refugee like most Armenians who fled Ottoman Lands between 1850 and 1923. Sadly if they didn't flee they wouldn't be ...Jewish or Christian it's kind of a miracle we even exist seeing 75% of the entire ethnic extraction was missing'ed. If you go to Ani for a "eco tourist visit" they didn't exist (even though it's was Christian KINGDOM that pre-dated Ottoman Settlements and existed afterwards, if you go, the wedding cake church is magnificent).

John