YEREVAN—The task remained a daunting one.
How do you arrange 2,000 photographs of your trip to Armenia into an album with 200 slots?
The challenge would be easy if you had bought 10 albums. But then, who would sit long enough to enjoy your portfolio without getting bored? Just fitting them into the sleeves would become tedious for any photographer worth his salt.
So you become selective, flip out the duplicates, negate any rejects, no fuzzy images, and give your viewer the best images in your collection.
After two trips to Armenia, I’m left with a plethora of photography. I’ve used them for greeting cards and Christmas gifts, donated enlargements to charity, given exhibitions of my work, and hung a few around my own home for sentiment.
The thought occurred to turn some of them into a book like Matthew Karanian and Hrair “Hawk” Khatcherian do with their work, not for profit per se but more for posterity. People love to look at good pictures, especially if they hit home and connect you with your heritage.
But not at the expense of sliding viewers into tedium and sending them grappling for the door.
For that reason, I decided to fill one scrapbook and title it “A Day in the Life of Armenia,” all within a 24-hour setting, much like those books we’ve seen, compiled by 200 freelance photographers around the country. Only I’m going at it alone.
For such a mission, one must be discreet, calculating, and willing to photograph complete strangers. The “shot behind the shot” often brings the best result.
My day begins with a vivid glimpse of Mount Ararat imbued against a panoramic setting of Yerevan from atop a hill by Mayr Hayastan. I couldn’t have negotiated a better image with God.
And just to set it apart as a jacket cover, I superimposed an image of a church between the two peaks, set five miles apart in case you were wondering.
On my way to Artbridge for a light breakfast, I caught up with a street musician playing the duduk outside a church with worshippers inside. A woman in a kiosk selling candles and other religious artifacts was a perfect photo complement.
The day held more promise as I headed off to a boxing academy, meeting up with young pugilists attempting to escape the doldrums and reach for the stars.
Not far away were the remnants of a monastery at Ptghni, where an elderly gatekeeper sat by a self-made shrine, greeting occasional tourists stopping by. The fact there was a cow grazing inside the ruins made the scene more alluring.
From there, we found ourselves at Zatig Orphanage on the outskirts of Yerevan, greeting older children at play. We met with the director, who told us there were very few callers for adoption, given the advanced age of the children.
A young girl, maybe 7, took me by the hand to show me her room, very well behaved and mannerly as I recall and sure to make someone a proud parent.
At Etchmiadzin, we caught up with a number of tour groups exploring the grounds and attending a service. An elderly woman refused any monetary assistance. Rather, she asked that a candle be lit in her behalf.
As the day was passing by quickly, we ventured forth to Zvartnots, which maintained its centuries-old vigil in dissembled mode, still a worthy site for gatherings. On a clear day, you might catch Mount Ararat in its backdrop, offering a consummate pose.
With no time to spare, we made our way to Khor Virap where we released doves and saw a lamb being led to slaughter, a sacrifice with religious consequences.
Back we came to Yerevan where the sun was setting upon Sadarapat and a striking view of the memorial there. Some of the best photography was not outside but in the museum under natural light.
That evening, we found the capital city eclectic in every regard, with its dancing fountains by Republic Square and the hordes of people who gathered in revelry, no matter the occasion.
It’s true. People tell you a week or two isn’t enough to capture the virtues of this great country where every turn becomes a photo opportunity. In this age of digital cameras, the experience becomes all the more flexible.
As a shutterbug, regardless of your level of proficiency, don’t be afraid to venture away from your destination and capture people in their natural habitats. A photo gift sometimes offers added appeal for their consent.
And whatever you may compile on your trip, remember this: Give your viewers something they’ll want to remember and appreciate, as well.
Tom Vartabedian
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