PORTFOLIO BOOK SERIES NO. 2

For some time now, I have been experimenting with creating Limited Edition collections of my photographs—portfolios of images thoughtfully selected to explore a single theme.

I am so pleased to announce the publication of the newest volume in my Portfolio Book series titled, HUMANITY: Photographs by Craig Varjabedian. HUMANITY contains 26 carefully selected black and white and color photographs made between 2001 and 2022. Included are powerful portraits— Native Americans, Cowboys, Day of the Dead Celebrants, Drag Queens, and Dancers. These images are strong, powerful, sensual, mysterious, ageless, timeless…

The book includes an essay on these photographs, a wonderful meditation on my portraits by writer Brody Q Scotland.

From her essay:

Portrait photography can be challenging for both the photographer and the subject, but when it succeeds, it looks effortless.

The backgrounds are intentional: they either isolate the subject, or provide additional context, and the lighting hides or accentuates. The portrait subject wordlessly reveals an aspect of their true personality. You can see the life in their eyes, the connection. Their body is engaged even if the pose speaks of stillness.

You can see them. Not the props or the background or the lighting or the pose, but the spirit of the human in front of the lens. You can see life.

There will be a select number of copies of HUMANITY offered for sale. Each beautiful book is autographed by the photographer and will be packaged carefully for safe delivery. The limited edition HUMANITY: Portraits by Craig Varjabedian is available exclusively through my studio.

ABOUT THE BOOK | Production Notes

I have taken many pictures of people over the years but I began seriously making portraits in 2001. As a landscape photographer for many years, the face always intrigued me but as an introvert I saw making portraits as a mountain too far to climb. Then I made the portrait “Archie and his Pal Buddy” (Plate No. 13) and everything changed. I realized that I could make a compelling portrait that could powerfully move the viewer in a way similar to my best landscape photographs. I have been seriously making portraits with my camera ever since.

The soft-cover book was designed by D.A. Smith and was printed in high resolution on thick rich coated paper by the esteemed Starline Printing Solutions in Albuquerque on their newest HP 12000 Indigo, a high-end state of the art digital printing press.

HUMANITY is 36 pages and measures 10’x11”. A select number of copies are available for purchase and orders will be filled as they are received. Place your order soon to avoid disappointment.

ISBN 978-0-9996732-3-2