Ara AVEDISSIAN

Ara the camera nut !

I remember meeting Ara on a random photographic walk to work on a nice warm day, it was pure coincidence but perhaps a sign of some sort.
I remember him as a great person, young at heart with a great sense of humor and great stories to tell !
He gave me copies of many of the articles he wrote over the years (one of them titled "Ara the little parrot" and also this self portrait he took.
I will always remember his life stories and the things I learned from them and will always remember that we are never too old for kindness, humor and a big heart !
My deepest condolences Marielle, thank you for all the great hospitality whenever I visited !

Alexi

Dear Marielle,

Our hearts are filled with sadness over the loss of our beloved uncle Ara. We will always remember his amazing sense of humor, kindness, and big heart. He was a very special man and we were lucky to have known him!! We love you and are with you today and always.

Love,
Assia Agopian, Herma Berberian, and Arman Agopian

I met Ara semi-professionally nearly 20 years ago when I was nearer the beginning of my career in journalism and he was retired for some time already. My best-quality lens is a very heavy and rugged-bodied Tamron SP telephoto 24-48mm that I bought from Ara along with a set of filters. That and a Pentax K-1000 35mm camera body. I didn't use them for long when the great transition to digital photography swept the media at the end of the 1990s. I keep both in a glass display case for photography collectibles. I will always remember that the Tamron SP came from Ara. As Ara would tell those interested as amateurs or as pros in photography, he started out in the days when a photo editor would send the photogs out on assignment with one roll each of film with 12, 20 but never more than 24 exposures and they would have to return with 2, 3 or more good quality and well-composed shots. The technique was entirely memorized in his head, and not on a memory chip in the camera as it is today. My condolences to Marielle and other members of his family.

My dear friend Ara...I shall miss you...Old Man, you were my mentor, my dad, my older brother...my friend!
When he was made by the stars above...they broke the mould...there will never be another! And to those Stars you shall fly... Just do me a favour Old Man...save me a seat at your table and we'll Enjoy a wonderful Black Armenian Coffee together again!
Bon Voyage, Mon Ami...

Remembering Ara with such fondness. Thinking of you Marielle & Ara with so much love! blessings to you.

Dear Marielle, we are thinking of you in your time of sorrow. You were a special couple and we will miss Ara and his funny jokes. Have courage.
Our deepest condolences,
Sandy and Gerry Kudo