The great portrait photographer Yusuf Karsh said that the meaning of photography, as well as the meaning of life, lies in one word, and the word is Light. He was considered a sage, and he just did his job. He photographed such great personalities as Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, Nelson Mandela. His bewitching portraits "breathe" with the characters of captured people.
Yusuf Karsh: biography
Southeast Turkey, a place that residents call "Bible Paradise." In the ancient city of Mardin, where houses resemble an Eastern fairy tale, where fruit trees grow in abundance, where people of different faiths live peacefully for centuries, in December 23, 1908, Yusuf Karsh was born.
But soon the idyll came to an end. In 1915, the persecution of Armenian Christians grew into a terrible phenomenon - genocide. Yusuf survived the execution of two uncles, the death of his sister from typhoid and farewell to his father, who was forced to serve in the Turkish army. Authorities confiscated all property, including the house. The family was given only one donkey and ordered to leave their native Mardin forever.
Karshi found a new home in Syria, but parents wanted a better life for their son. It was decided that the child emigrates to the United States by all means. But it became known that the quota for the Armenians had been exhausted, and the boy was sent to Canada to uncle.
First 4 million dollars
16-year-old Yusuf Karsh went ashore of Halifax on the eve of 1925. George Nakash greeted his nephew in his native language. Later, in his book of memoirs, he writes that these words became the only thing that was familiar in a strange world for him.
They left the port in a horse- drawn sleigh . On their harness hung bells that rang loudly, and people walked so happy that their joy intoxicated the young man.
The snow-covered city of Sherbrooke, where George Nakash lived, became a refuge from problems. Soldiers with machine guns didn’t go here, there was no poverty, disease and persecution. Despite his eastern appearance, even classmates took the guy warmly and, in order not to suffer from remembering a foreign name, called him Joe. Yusuf began to learn a new language, get used to the new climate and build a new life.
Fortunately, everything that I had to go through in Mardin did not embarrass Yusuf; he absorbed tolerance towards others with his mother’s milk. Father always said to his son: "If it’s hard to restrain yourself, throw a stone at the offender, but miss."
After six months of life in Canada, the guy begins to work in his uncle's photo studio. George gave his nephew the easiest camera, and Yusuf began to shoot everything around.
One of the classmates secretly sent a picture to the contest - he won a prize. The boy handed Karsh the well-deserved 50 dollars. Yusuf gave $ 10 to his classmate, and sent the remaining amount to his parents. He later admits that at that time, these $ 40 seemed to him 4 million. And he walked happy for several weeks, proud of his act.
Boston. John Garoe
The nephew's talent did not leave uncle indifferent, and George decides to send Yusuf to the famous John Garo. The fashion photographer was part of the Armenian diaspora and gladly accepted the new student. On Boyleston Street, the guy studied printing processes and features of photography.
He watched Garo engage in dialogue with those he was filming; visited museums and art classes. His favorite place was the library and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
The entire elite gathered in the studio of Garot, a young photographer studied communicating with celebrities. A six-month internship lasted 2 years, after which he returned to Sherbrooke. At first he was an assistant to his uncle, then he worked as an assistant to John Powys, who subsequently left him his studio.
Yusuf Karsh began an independent career in 1933. He had everything except connections, money, customers and reputation. Despite the fact that he knew how to talk with any person, regardless of his status and had a photographic talent, because of the Great Depression, he had to borrow small amounts more than once in order to support his own business.
Acquaintance with the Ottawa Theater, where he met his future wife, an immigrant from France, Solange Gauthier, became a guide to the new future.
A new beginning
After 6 years in 1939, they got married. Despite the fact that the girl was 6 years older than Yusuf, they were an ideal couple. Both Canadians in the first generation dreamed of being accepted into high society, but without forgetting their roots and traditions.
Solange had a good business sense, so she became the administrator in her husband's photo studio. Yusuf Karsh began to photograph productions, actors; his photographs began to be published in British magazines and prestigious local newspapers.
Career began to develop rapidly, he took family pictures, portraits, of course, photographed his beloved Solange.
A Life-Changing Case: The Cigar Story
According to the recollections of Karsh's wife, that day he returned home in a strange state. Yusuf was trembling all over, and she hardly managed to find out what had happened. And he just wanted to make a good portrait.
It is not known whether Churchill was dissatisfied, or forgot about the upcoming shoot, but he gave only 2 minutes to the process and started smoking a cigar. The guy tried to hint to him that she would not make the frame solemn and add dignity, but Winston was not inspired by what Yusuf Karsh told him. The photographer decided to take a desperate step, he pulled out a cigar, darted to his camera and took just such a frame, which depicts an accustomed politician.
However, Churchill liked his impudence, and he allowed to take a few more pictures, but already smiling.
This shot has become very popular. Despite the fact that he received $ 100 for him, it was this photo shoot that brought him fame.
Portrait of greatness
In 1943, Karshu made a trip to England, where he made more than 40 portraits of the military. After the Second World War, he collaborated with Life magazine, for which he shot celebrities.
Thanks to connections and fame, Yusuf Karsh was able to transport the family from Aleppo to Canada in 1948. Calmed down for their fate, he completely immersed himself in work. For 10 years of hard work, he made the best portraits, and in 1958 he was included in the list of 10 greatest world photographers.
The greatest portraits of Yusuf Karsh
Seeing people through and being able to demonstrate it to others was his talent.
She was chosen from the ballet group to play the role of Gigi. When Yusuf photographed Hepburn, he noted her refined receptivity, to which Audrey spoke about her life during World War II. A few years later, the Kremlin allows Karsh to make a portrait of Brezhnev, but with one condition: the photo should be as beautiful as hers.
He also photographed Ernest Hemingway. According to Yusuf, he expected to see one of the heroes of his novel, but having met with him in 1957, he noticed a peculiar tenderness in Ernest. He had not yet photographed such timid people - the man was brutally beaten by life, but at the same time invincible.
Star of hope
In 1959, he suffered a heart attack. Caring for her husband, Solange did not dare to talk about her own illness - doctors discovered cancer. She died in 1961 and could not finish work on the biography of Yusuf.
From the pain of loss he was saved again by work. As a child, the photographer dreamed of becoming a doctor, and his wife’s illness brought him close to medicine. He began to film patients and doctors. Soon, he met with the medical editor, Estrella, Nachbar, who became his wife, girlfriend, assistant and teacher.
In 1992, he decides to close the studio in Ottawa and ceases to engage in commercial orders. After 5 years, he and his wife moved to Boston and settled near the Museum of Fine Arts. In 2000, Who's Who was published , featuring portraits of 100 significant people of the century. 51 photos for this encyclopedia were made by Yusuf Karsh.
The work of the photographer after the death of her husband (July 13, 2002) Estrella transferred to Boston hospitals.
These portraits were made by a person who could act on people so much that they wanted to demonstrate their best part and share it with others. That is why these pictures were hung in the wards of those who needed support, and not oppression of the bare walls of the hospital.