Yousuf karsh photographer biography youtube

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This Christmas, I received an incredible gift: a biography of images about Yousuf Karsh, one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century.

Armenian-Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh is considered one of the greatest portrait photographers of the 20th century. Schooled in the Hollywood glamour tradition and specializing in classical portraiture, Karsh traveled all over the world to photograph political and military leaders, as well as celebrated writers, entertainers, and artists.

By the end of his career, Karsh of Ottawa, as he was called, had achieved a rare stature: His portraits had become the images by which many politicians and cultural figures are best remembered — Winston Churchill as an indomitable wartime leader; Albert Einstein with his hands clasped together; Humphrey Bogart with a burning cigarette in hand.

In his lifetime, Karsh held a remarkable 15, sittings and produced more than , negatives, leaving an indelible record of the women and men who helped shaped the twentieth century. Within every person a secret is hidden, and as a photographer, it is my job to reveal it if I can.

In this video, we explore the remarkable life and career of Yousuf Karsh, one of the greatest portrait photographers of the 20th century.

The revelation may come in a fraction of a second in the form of an unconscious gesture, a gleam of the eye. In that fleeting moment, the photographer must act or lose his prize. In , at the age of 16, his parents sent him to stay with his uncle George Nakash, a photographer who lived in Quebec, Canada. After barely six months of high school, Karsh left formal education and began working full-time with his uncle, providing him with income to support his family back in Syria.

After a few years assisting his uncle, Karsh, who by now was twenty, was sent to Boston to apprentice under the respected portrait photographer John H. Garo in While assisting Garo, Karsh learned about the importance of light, shadow, and form. These three elements would become key to his work. In , Karsh returned to Canada and opened a studio in Ottawa, close to the Canadian Parliament building.

He initially undercut his competitors, charging one dollar for a finished print with his much of his early work mainly consisting of passport photos, family portraits, business events, and weddings.