Yousuf Karsh – Famous Portrait Photographer
If you think you had it tough growing up, just take a look at Yousuf Karsh’s childhood. He grew up during the Armenian Genocide. This meant for him and his family they were starved, driven away from their homes, and many were massacred. His family was no exception. He had many relatives that were literally slaughtered during this time period. His sister was one of the casualties of starvation. His parents finally found a way out for him as he was sent to live with his uncle, a photographer in Canada.
Under the guidance of his uncle, he really built up a lot of his skill and his uncle quickly noticed his capabilities and talent. His uncle was so impressed that he thought that he would do better under the guidance of a more established and well-known photographer. From his uncle’s portrait studio he was sent to Boston to work under John Garo a respected photographer in the area.
Yousef Karsh did not stop there. He actually returned to Canada after getting four years more experience. He had a desire to make a difference in the photography world. Karsh just happened to be good enough that he caught the attention of the Prime Minister. After doing various portrait sittings for Prime Minister Mackenzie King, other celebrities started recognizing his talent.
His true breakout, and still his most recognizable work is the photograph of Winston Churchill. He took this picture on December 30, 1941. This photograph is said to be the most reproduced photograph in history. His other work of celebrity photographs has not gone unnoticed. He was a very talented photographer in the field of portrait photography. He went on to take photographs of prominent figures including Dwight Eisenhower, Princess Elizabeth, Pope John Paul II, and many other politicians and celebrities.
Karsh had a gift for capturing the essence of his subject in the instant of his portrait. As Karsh wrote of his own work in Karsh Portfolio in 1967, “Within every man and woman a secret is hidden, and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can. The revelation, if it comes at all, will come in a small fraction of a second with an unconscious gesture, a gleam of the eye, a brief lifting of the mask that all humans wear to conceal their innermost selves from the world. In that fleeting interval of opportunity the photographer must act or lose his prize.”
There is 1 comment on this post.
Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feedthis Yousuf Karsh is really famous
..