My name is Ara. I was born in Eastern Europe to a doctor and a musician, so I grew up with both science and art shaping the way I see the world. I’ve lived in Los Angeles since the early ’90s, and before photography became central to my life, I spent years working as a registered nurse in a trauma unit. That work taught me a lot about people — how they react under pressure, how emotion shows up in small ways, and how important it is to build trust and connection.

Photography grew out of that same instinct to pay attention. For me, it’s about seeing more clearly — watching how people move through the world, how they relate to their surroundings, and how a moment shifts when someone notices the camera. There’s often a flicker of curiosity or hesitation, and that brief exchange becomes part of the story I’m trying to capture.

I shoot mostly on foot, walking through neighborhoods like Downtown LA, Venice, Beverly Hills, and Pasadena. I carry both the Canon R5 Mark II for fast-moving scenes and the Leica Q3 when I want to stay close and bring more of the environment into the frame. My background in nursing helps me read people, understand their energy, and approach them with respect when a moment opens up.

I’m here to observe, to connect, and to tell stories through the everyday moments happening around me. My hope is that viewers can feel that sense of curiosity and engagement in the images, as if they’re walking the street with me, noticing the world in real time.