Street Cats of Armenia: Photography by Kim Barsegyan

Q. & A. with Kim Barsegyan

1. Why are cats interesting for you to photograph?
   Aside from just loving the bastards, it’s also really challenging to photograph cats. They’re unpredictable and quick, which after a while makes photographing anything else seem like a breeze.
2. When and why did you go from a dog person to a cat man?
   There was a time some 10 years ago when I was just starting to look for interesting subjects to photograph. I was always drawn to nature, but in the city setting there wasn’t much that caught my interest. Observing street cats changed that. I still believe they’re the most interesting “subject” you could ever find in a city. Apart from that, adopting a cat from the streets made me reinforce my new found love for those creatures.
3. You live in Armenia. Can you share a little about how Armenians feel about cats both as pets or street cats?
   Armenians love having pets around, but most would rather buy a certain breed than adopt a cat from the street. I don’t really mind that, since the more I spend time on this earth, the more I start realizing that domestication is another form of imprisonment.
4. How do your various creative pursuits influence each other?
   I think the main benefit of having several creative pursuits going (such as photography, guitar and graphic design in my case), is that it simply makes sure you don’t get too bored with any of them.
5. Cats are difficult to photograph. Do you have any tips?
   First of all, use the so-called foot-in-the-door technique. Cats are naturally very curious, but many are equally cautious. Do everything you can to not scare them away upon your first encounter. Fast jerky movements, loud walking, getting too close too soon, making long eye contact will likely ruin it. If you’re patient and lucky, some of the cats will eventually get closer and closer to you on their own. Apart from understanding the feline psychology, it’s also really important to know your camera gear inside and out, so the precious moments aren’t wasted on trying to set the right exposure or fiddle with settings, etc.
6. Anything else you’d like to share?
   Street cats can teach you valuable lessons. Brave, resourceful, living in the present; calm, yet always aware of their surroundings; you’ll be smart to let them teach you their way.

The hardest things of all is that some of those little bastards just rip your heart apart with the cosmic depth in their eyes.

Yes, to cats as wise teachers.