Garo Varjabedian began his career as an apprentice with Alexandria-based photographer Apkar Retian in the late 1930s.[1] Later he moved to Cairo where he assisted Aram Alban, another major Egyptian/Armenian photographer. Varjabedian’s work came into its own during the 1950s and 60s, when his classical and regal portrait style was much in favor with Egypt’s elite and ruling parties whom he frequently photographed. Of these, the most significant figure was president Anwar Sadat, whom, according to Maria Golia, Garo befriended in the 1950s.
His studio – self-titled ‘Garo’ – became prominent for its exceptionally high quality color photography. Garo trained in painting under Ashot Zorian and his penchant for artistic compositions and formal experimentation  comes through even in the most commercial of his studio works. Garo's brother, Antro Varjabedian was also a photographer, but his studio was a run of the mill operation that made functional photographs for passports and other utilitarian uses.

[1] Both Maria Golia and Vahan Kochar mention that Garo worked with Alban, but in an email correspondence with us, Varjabedyan's son, Vahe, insists that it was Apkar Retian with whom Garo received his training. It is likely that Garo moved to Cairo on Alban's invitation.

Vigen Galstyan, 2016