Photographers You Should Know: Yousuf Karsh by Erika Jacobs

After immigrating to Canada from Armenia at age seventeen, Yousuf Karsh became one of the world’s most accomplished portrait photographers. His subjects include everyone from Fidel Castro to Queen Elizabeth II, Audrey Hepburn to Pope John Paul II.

The Big Deal: Karsh photographed the most respected and recognized personalities of the 20th century.

Life In Brief: Born in Armenia in 1908, Yousuf Karsh is sent to Canada to live with his uncle, who happens to be a photographer. Seeing potential in his nephew, Uncle Nakash arranges for an internship with Boston photographer John H. Garo. While in Boston, Karsh attends evening art school and learns about composition, design, and lighting.

Moving to Ottawa in 1931, Karsh opens his own studio with the hopes of photographing dignitaries and international visitors. His iconic portrait of Winston Churchill in 1941 launches his thirty-year career internationally.

Winston Churchill

Albert Einstein

Brigitte Bardot

Jaques Cousteau

Fidel Castro

Georgia O'Keefe

Ernest Hemingway

Audrey Hepburn

Andy Warhol

Pablo Picasso

For More: http://www.karsh.org

Erika Jacobs is a Toronto-based freelance photographer and the co-creator of the Knock Twice blog, which is where a version of this post originally appeared. It's is an online resource to assist and inform budding creative professionals. You can visit Knock Twice here.