Yousuf Karsh

"Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera."

Yousuf Karsh.

Churchill ,1941.

Pablo Picasso, 1954

Georges Bernard Shaw, 1943

Dramatic lighting is an important part of Karsh's composition. Hi subjects are often placed in front of a dark background, Karsh uses one main light, positioned very high on the right side of the frame, emphasizing texture and shapes. He also uses frequently a strong background light placed right behind his subjects to separate them from the background. We become really aware of lines and diagonals in his composition.

Karsh made most of his career thanks to his photograph of Churchill, 1941, for which he had the brilliant idea to confiscate the man's cigar to obtain a stronger expression. Karsh's portraits carry a very strong emotion. The viewer can feel the respect between the photographer and his subject. Karsh manages to reveal the human nature of the extraordinary people than shaped the 20th century.