By: Svetlana Khachiyan

Ramela Arutiunian displayed her work in Greenwich Village in her first photo exhibition Echoes of Time- Noticing the Moment. The spectacular one-day pop-up event featured drinks, food, and live jazz music, to accompany a kaleidoscope of stories through photo stills. Arutiunian’s journey as a photographer began in New York, as a way to confront everyday challenges of immigration. The one-day exhibit attracted New Yorkers and tourists, who share a common passion for the arts. The exhibition featured works that Pamela has shot from 2019 to 2024, and was carefully crafted with select works all tied to the theme of the life stories of New Yorkers from all over the world. Capturing the raw moments of people in the city really had an effect on the audience, almost all works were sold right after the exhibition. 

“Photography came to me from a passion for observing life around me and capturing moments in people’s stories.”

What inspired your journey into photography?

I really started photography when I first came to New York. I noticed myself observing people and the new architecture around me, it all seemed so fascinating. New York is a city that has a different style of architecture in almost every street you turn on. I started noticing how New Yorker’s were all so different from each other, but the city brought them together. In a way, this was a way for me to find a new hobby in my immigration journey.

What is the concept behind your exhibition Echoes of Time- Noticing the Moment and how was the idea born?

The idea for the exhibition had been lurking in my head for a long time. Back in the first months after I bought my camera, I was walking around Manhattan by myself, taking different pictures. I would look around and see a lot of different galleries in Soho and Greenwich Village. Always looking through these windows, I saw people fascinated with art. It always seemed interesting to me and at the same time super complicated and unreachable. But I knew I wanted to gather creative people together and share, discuss and inspire other artists.  I wanted to speak to the world through my photography.  I knew I didn’t come into photography just to make money, that was never my main goal. I always wanted more from it, and that more I experienced in reportage photography.

As an immigrant, has a cultural shift affected your vision as a photographer?

Yes, and not only because it was a new city for me, but also because New York is a place with a culture of acceptance and individuality. People here are from all walks of life, and they do not judge one another. I try to capture this in my works. 

Is there a particular photograph displayed at Echoes of Time that holds a special significance to you? What is the story behind it?

All 38 photos presented in the exhibition are significant to me and have their own story. I remember each one of them, how I took the picture, how I felt at that moment, where I was, in what place it was taken and why. Each one symbolizes some moment in my life and some reflection of me. A photograph is, essentially, a reflection of the artist. The choice of photos was not easy, because I wanted to convey the spirit of such a powerful city, its life, people, streets, and every corner in an unusual way for the viewer. However, some of the works have special stories.  One of them is a picture with windows. I took it in the first months after I picked up the camera. Back then, I wasn’t yet technically savvy, and I didn’t know composition, light, shadows, and so on. 

But there was something inside that helped me intuitively see the best shot. Back then, I was on the train on my way home to Queens, and overhead you can always see this old building. It has so many different windows, so many different stories behind them. I have loved peeking in windows since I was a kid. It’s a reflection of New York life. Somewhere you’ll see a man with a phone in his hand, working, and there’s a Christmas tree in the window, there’s life everywhere and it’s so beautiful.

Why did you choose NY for your first exhibition?

This is where my photography journey began, I felt it was very symbolic. Although, I do plan to hold more exhibitions in several cities in the near future. 

Any exhibition will eventually attract criticism, how do you handle opinions about your work and has criticism ever changed your perspective in your work?

I find that you don’t really make it as an artist until someone starts to notice and critique you. I’m totally okay with it, as long as it is respectful. But I don’t think it really had an effect on my work as a whole. A big part of calling yourself an artist is that you capture your own vision and present it to the world without compromising. Your audience will find you.

How do you navigate privacy concerns when photographing people on the street?

The one thing I love about New York is that people don’t really care if you photograph them on the street, and most people actually like it. I also love to share the photos with my subjects afterwards. 

Photo Courtesy: Ramela Arutiunian archive

What are some projects you hope to undertake in the near future?

My exhibition in New York inspired me to do something similar in the future. Seeing and experiencing my work through the eyes of others, not only in electronic format, but also in print format was amazing and so inspiring! Right now, I want to do a photography show at a gallery in Los Angeles, that I plan to keep for about a week or two. I’m working on the concept and gathering ideas.

Who are some of the artists you find inspiration in?

I was always inspired by a few photographers. Some of them work in the street photography genre, some from the fx world, some had a more cinematic style. But they all had one thing in common- a reportage style of photography, the best moments (or candid moments ). Ever since I was a kid I loved to observe life, and convey it with emotion. That’s why I was fascinated by the style. It is the transmission of valuable moments, natural life without embellishments, as it is. One of my favorite photographers is Peter Lindbergh. You can see this style in his fashion photography. Also Monaris, who in her work reveals and conveys the reportage and cinematic wonder of the world around her. There is another Hollywood based photographer, Greg Williams, who can capture actors and models in the most vivid emotions.

What advice would you give to beginner photographers?

It may seem counterintuitive coming from someone in the arts, but discipline is a huge factor in how successful one will be. Motivation is fleeting, and you cannot count on it to guide you all the time. Even photographers of ten, twenty years feel stuck at some point in their careers, and those who make it are ones who adapt to the environment they’re in, whether they are in the mood or not. This is the only thing that brings results. Stick with your own vision of things. You really have to find your own audience that will fall in love with your work. But you have to be authentic and stay true to yourself, and that often takes time. Also try photography that you aren’t used to working with, you might find your signature there.

Published by: Nelly Chavez