"There is a brief moment when all there is in a man's mind and soul and spirit is reflected through his eye, his hands, his attitude. This is the moment to record". Yousuf Karsh
I now continue to interpret Ruraltopia with my second set of subject matter, by capturing the essence and character of individual crofters through the portraiture genre.
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| Yousuf Karsh |
Portraiture Photographer Research: Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002)
My research into Yousuf Karsh's life gives me a rags to riches story which is an inspiration to any would be photographer. Born in Armenian Turkey (then known as the Ottaman Empire) Karsh experienced a horrific early childhood with relatives massacred and his sister dying of starvation as the family fled from genocide. They eventually settled in Syria in 1922 and two years later, his father sent the 16-year old Yousuf to Canada to live with a photographer uncle in Quebec.
This resulted in a training opportunity with a portrait photographer in Boston, USA, with Karsh returning in 1931 to Canada to work with John Garo, a photographer in Ottawa and subsequently taking over his studio. During his apprenticeship with John Garo, Karsh was taught to see his subject in terms of light, shadow and form. He took the opportunity to play with shadows and lighting, thus producing some very dramatic light in his shots and often used low key images to create a great portrait.
By the early 70s "Karsh of Ontario" was known as one of the top portrait studios in the world and in 1973 Karsh moved his studio into a local hotel, remaining there for almost twenty years until he retired, having had a career of over 60 years in photography and gaining the reputation of being one of the most accomplished and famous photographers of all time.
His portraiture work is iconic and even today, 13 years after his death, can be seen on postage stamps, bank notes as well as in photography books and in galleries. Canada Post commemorated the 100th anniversary of his birth by releasing three stamps featuring Karsh's work. The Bank of England announced in April 2013 that Karsh's iconic ~Churchill portrait is to feature on the new £5 note being produced in 2016.
There is a wealth of research material available online about Karsh not least the extremely informative website (ref www.karsh.org) belonging to The Estate of Yousuf Karsh and containing sections on
(a) The Man - a life in images, a brief biography, awards and some hugely appealing interviews with Karsh himself, which are a very useful resource when researching this famous and great individual.
(b) His Work - images, bibliography and exhibitions. This website really is an excellent resource and is to be highly recommended as an online learning tool.
I enjoyed completing the 9-question online survey and giving feedback which is a clear strength of the website, as it gives an opportunity to interact with the viewers. http://www.karsh.org
The following images are the two I have chosen as having an influence on my selected portraiture genre:-
1. Possibly the most famous ever portrait is the iconic capture of Sir Winston Churchill by Karsh in 1941 which appeared on the cover of Life magazine and was a pivotal moment in Karsh's career.
Karsh published 15 books of his photographs writing about his portrait sessions, during which he would talk to his subject asking questions to make them feel relaxed while he set up the shot. The following is his description of that famous portrait opportunity with Churchill as recorded by Karsh
(Ref.http://www.karsh.org/#/the_work/portraits/winston_churchill)
"My portrait of Winston Churchill changed my life. I knew after I had taken it that it was an important picture, but I could hardly have dreamed that it would become one of the most widely reproduced images in the history of photography. In 1941, Churchill visited first Washington and then Ottawa. The Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, invited me to be present. After the electrifying speech, I waited in the Speaker’s Chamber where, the evening before, I had set up my lights and camera. The Prime Minister, arm-in-arm with Churchill and followed by his entourage, started to lead him into the room. I switched on my floodlights; a surprised Churchill growled, “What’s this, what’s this?” No one had the courage to explain. I timorously stepped forward and said, “Sir, I hope I will be fortunate enough to make a portrait worthy of this historic occasion.” He glanced at me and demanded, “Why was I not told?” When his entourage began to laugh, this hardly helped matters for me. Churchill lit a fresh cigar, puffed at it with a mischievous air, and then magnanimously relented. “You may take one.” Churchill’s cigar was ever present. I held out an ashtray, but he would not dispose of it. I went back to my camera and made sure that everything was all right technically. I waited; he continued to chomp vigorously at his cigar. I waited. Then I stepped toward him and, without premeditation, but ever so respectfully, I said, “Forgive me, sir,” and plucked the cigar out of his mouth. By the time I got back to my camera, he looked so belligerent he could have devoured me. It was at that instant that I took the photograph."
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The Roaring Lion -
Churchill in defiant mood.
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The "less memorable"
second photo was
favoured by Karsh. |
Karsh has used a lighter coloured background which makes Churchill's dark suit stand out. The stance Churchill has adopted placing his hand on hip and arm on chair along with the forbidding expression on his face defines his personality. Karsh managed to portray a powerful and determined leader which was what the world needed to see at that time. The image was named "The Roaring Lion following Churchill's remark that Karsh could even make a roaring lion stand still to be photographed, and he allowed him a second photograph.
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| Albert Einstein 1948 |
2. My second selection is Karsh's portrait of Albert Einstein (1948). Here Karsh focuses on the position of Einstein's hands to portray the simple, kindly, almost childlike quality he attributes to Einstein (see below). The lighting contrast in the image brings the subject forward, giving a good depth to the photo.
Karsh states in his description:- (Ref. http://www.karsh.org/#/the_work/portraits/albert_einstein)
At Princeton’s Institute for Advanced Study, I found Einstein a simple, kindly, almost childlike man, too great for any of the postures of eminence. One did not have to understand his science to feel the power of his mind or the force of his personality. He spoke sadly, yet serenely, as one who had looked into the universe, far past mankind’s small affairs. When I asked him what the world would be like were another atomic bomb to be dropped, he replied wearily, “Alas, we will no longer be able to hear the music of Mozart.”
While, I realise that my Ruraltopia portraiture photography cannot in any way draw parallels with that of the revered Yousuf Karsh, there is much to learn from my research into his career and techniques. Karsh wished to know his subject before he took the portrait so he studied them well beforehand and he learned to keep the conversation going to put them at ease. With my three crofting portraits below, I did feel a rapport with my subjects as we had a common identity in crofting culture and heritage and this point of contact became an easy conversation topic.
Karsh studied his subjects in order to establish a point of contact - I was fortunate that I knew my subjects as I realise from this experience that getting the correct portrait is challenging if the subject is not wholly comfortable.
However, unlike Karsh with his famous tale of removing the cigar from Churchill, I chose to to photograph my crofter with his pipe as I felt this reflected his personality and allowed him to adopt a very relaxed pose!
Karsh stated that his portrait of Churchill changed his life and it is very reassuring for aspiring photographers to find out that Karsh had indeed been taking photographs for about 15 years before he got this break in his photography career.
Most of all, I am now aware that Yousuf Karsh himself held the strength of character, belief and determination, which he so admired in the great people he photographed in his time. (Ref: see final quote below)
Among his many awards, which included the Order of Canada in 1990, the International Edition of Who's Who In The World listed Karsh among the 100 most influential persons of the 20th century. Interestingly Karsh had photographed more than half of the people in the group and they would have been among the 15,000 sittings which he photographed over the years. A truly inspirational photographer - he was indeed great.
"I have found that great people do have in common .... an immense belief in themselves and in their mission. They also have great determination as well as an ability to work hard. At the crucial moment of decision, they draw on their accumulated wisdom. Above all, they have integrity." Yousuf Karsh
