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Armenian Photographers in the Middle East


 * Ara Oshagan
 * Ara Güller renowned as "the Eye of Istanbul," was a prominent Armenian-Turkish photojournalist celebrated for his captivating black and white images of Istanbul in the 1950s and 1960s. He viewed himself as a visual historian, emphasizing the importance of capturing human life and reality through photography. Güler's work, encompassing around 800,000 slides, has left a lasting legacy, preserved in the Ara Güler Museum in Istanbul. Honored with awards like the Légion d'honneur and the Lucie Award for Lifetime Achievement, Güler's photographs serve as timeless snapshots of Istanbul's rich history and culture.
 * Arakel Artinian was the founder of Studio Venus. He was born in Turkey and moved to Egypt in 1914, and opened a photostudio in Chubra. He and his family move to Cairo in 1930. His studio specialized in studio portraits and wedding photography. After the 1952 revolution he lost his clientele based in his foreignness and religion. He migrated to Sydney, Australia in 1963 where he would live for the rest of his life. He passed away in 1979.
 * Levon Boyadjian (Van Leo) was born in 1921 in the Ottoman Empire, fled to Egypt during the Armenian genocide. He discovered his passion for photography in his teens and opened his own studio in Cairo in 1941. Known for his glamorous style inspired by Hollywood, Van Leo's work focused on portraits of celebrities and self-portraits. Despite the emergence of color photography, he remained loyal to black and white, mastering lighting and printing techniques. His legacy includes documenting Egyptian society and winning the prestigious Prince Claus Award in 2000. Today, his collection is housed at the American University in Cairo.
 * Karnik Tellyan was born in Kayseri, Turkey in 1904. He survieed the Armenian Genocide and went to Germany where he worked with Agfa. He later settled in Lebanon. In Germany he worked with documentary films and took portrait pictures for the military. Throughout 1960 and 1970 he became famous in the Middle East and North Africa. His studio in Lebanon closed in 1985 due to the Lebanese civil war.
 * Hovsep Madénian, also known as Saro was a surviver of the Armenian Genocide. He was born in 1915 in Hadjin. Due to the Armenian Genocide he fled with his family to Lebanon. He studied at the Armenian Seminary in Antelias. He taught at the Shalieh School in Syria. He took Holleywood style portraits of women, family community portraits, and wedding portraits. He passed away in Lebanon in 2012 at the age of 97.
 * Antoin Sevruguin, an Armenian-Georgian photographer born in Tehran in 1851, became renowned for his diverse subjects, including the royal court, landscapes, and ethnic groups. His studio in Tehran attracted locals and Westerners, showcasing Iran's culture through meticulous craftsmanship. Despite losing much of his work to vandalism in 1908, surviving images remain cherished artifacts, preserving Persia's rich heritage and Sevruguin's lasting legacy in photography.
 * Rober Caracachian was the founder of Caracachian Freres Photography Studio, which was established in Constantinople around the 1870’s. Photos by him were highliting different lifestyles & characteristics of multi-ethnic Ottoman Empire. Carcachian stopped taking photos by end of 19th century. His photostudio was named Au Teke 677. The associated founder was E.J. Pantzopoulo.
 * Malak Karsh, OC MPA (March 1, 1915 – November 8, 2001), was a celebrated Canadian photographer of Armenian heritage. Born in Mardin, Ottoman Empire, he fled to Canada in 1937, escaping the Armenian Genocide. With mentorship from his brother Yousuf Karsh and uncle George Nakash, both accomplished photographers, Malak quickly made a name for himself. In 1952, inspired by Queen Juliana of the Netherlands' gift of tulips to Canada, Malak helped establish the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa, significantly enhancing the city's cultural profile. One of his most famous works, "Paper and Politics" (1963), depicting floating logs on the Ottawa River, was featured on the Canadian $1 bill from 1969 to 1979. Malak's numerous accolades included the Order of Canada, the Keys to the City of Ottawa, and the CAPIC Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2005, the Karsh Award was established by the city of Ottawa in honor of Malak and his brother Yousuf. Malak's vast collection of photographs, housed by Library and Archives Canada, captures Canada's diverse landscapes and cultural heritage. He passed away on November 8, 2001, at the age of 86, leaving a lasting legacy in Canadian photography.
 * Yousuf Karsh (December 23, 1908 – July 13, 2002), was an Armenian-Canadian photographer known for his iconic portraits of notable figures, including over 20 covers for Life magazine. Born in Mardin, Ottoman Empire, he survived the Armenian Genocide and emigrated to Canada in 1923. In Sherbrooke, Quebec, he trained under his uncle George Nakash and later apprenticed with John H. Garo in Boston. Karsh's career took off in Ottawa during the 1930s. His 1941 portrait of Winston Churchill, capturing a defiant expression, brought him international acclaim and became one of the most reproduced images in history. He photographed numerous influential figures such as Ernest Hemingway, George Bernard Shaw, and Audrey Hepburn, using dramatic lighting and thorough research to create powerful images. Karsh received many accolades, including the Order of Canada and the Canada Council Medal. His works are held in major collections like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Canada. He retired in 1992 and passed away on July 13, 2002, in Boston. Karsh's legacy is honored through the Karsh Award by the City of Ottawa, celebrating his contributions to portrait photography and his lasting impact on the field.
 * Mariam Shahinyan (1911–1996) was a pioneering Armenian-Turkish photographer, recognized as the first woman studio photographer in Turkey. Born in Sivas, Turkey, into a prominent family, Maryam moved to Istanbul during her youth. She attended the Armenian school Esayan and later the French School Sainte-Pulchérie. Maryam's father, Mihran, worked at the Galatasaray Photography Studio in Istanbul. After her mother's sudden death in 1936 and ensuing financial difficulties, Maryam left school to assist her father. By 1937, she was managing the studio independently, continuing until 1985. Maryam Şahinyan created an extensive photographic archive of approximately 200,000 images. She is celebrated as Turkey's first woman photographer and was multilingual, speaking French, Italian, Armenian, and Turkish. She passed away in 1996 and was buried in Şişli Armenian Cemetery.
 * Onnig Cavoukian was born in Cairo in 1945 to Armenian parents Artin and Lucie Cavoukian, Onnig Cavoukian moved to Canada with his family in 1958. He is the brother of children's entertainer Raffi and Ann Cavoukian, former Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather Ohanness and father Artin, Onnig became a portrait photographer. His grandfather had fled Turkey during the Armenian Genocide and moved to Egypt. The family relocated to Toronto after the abdication of Egypt's King Farouk in 1952. Throughout his career, Cavouk photographed notable figures such as Indira Gandhi, the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Oscar Peterson, Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Trudeau, Leonid Brezhnev, Patrick Macnee, Hubert Humphrey, and Pat Nixon. His portraits of Roland Michener, Maureen Forrester, and Sam McLaughlin were featured on Canadian stamps. After living most of his life in Toronto, Cavouk moved to Winona, Ontario, in 2006, and now resides on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
 * Armenak Arzrouni (Armand) was a renowned Armenian Egyptian photographer based in Egypt. Born in Erzurum in 1901, he moved to Alexandria with his father in 1907. Arzrouni's journey into photography began as an apprentice under Nadir, a local photographer, fueled by his childhood passion for drawing. In 1925, Arzrouni ventured to Cairo to assist Zola, an Austrian Jewish photographer, where he honed his skills in colorization and advanced photographic techniques. After Zola's passing in 1930, Arzrouni established his own studio, Armand Studio, in Midan Mustafa Kamel. Arzrouni's talent and innovation soon made him a sought-after photographer, particularly among Egypt's elite. He was the first in Egypt to utilize photography umbrellas, revolutionizing the field. His clientele ranged from politicians and film stars to cabaret dancers and royalty, capturing the essence of Egyptian society. Despite political upheavals, such as the 1952 Revolution, Arzrouni's career thrived, with his son Armand joining him as an assistant in 1960. Arzrouni's legacy lives on through his son, who continued his father's work after his passing in 1963, maintaining the signature style that made Armand Studio an icon in Egyptian photography.
 * The Abdullah Frères, composed of three brothers Viçen Abdullahyan, Hovsep Abdullahyan, Kevork Abdullahyan were celebrated photographers in the late Ottoman Empire. Viçen, later known as Abdullah Şükrü after converting to Islam, initiated their photographic journey by assisting Rabach before establishing their own studio, Abdullah Frères, in 1858 in Constantinople. Renowned for their mastery of photography, the Abdullah Frères quickly gained imperial patronage and became the official court photographers. Their fame extended beyond the Ottoman Empire, leading to the opening of a branch in Cairo, Egypt, in 1886. Over their illustrious career, they captured portraits of Ottoman sultans, statesmen, international figures like Mark Twain, and picturesque scenes from daily life. The Abdullah Frères' legacy lives on through their extensive photographic collections, which are cherished worldwide. Their work provides a captivating glimpse into the rich history and culture of the late Ottoman Empire.
 * G. A. Panchikyan was a photographer in Atabazar. He was active at the end of the 19th century.