Interview - Asadour Guzelian: The career that clicked with a shaggy dog story

After trailing around all the national newspapers seeking work without finding much joy, the photographer had landed a job with a press agency in Bradford.

"I knew that I wanted to work in newspapers," says Guzelian. "A lot of the people I studied with wanted to set up studios, do wedding photography, but that wasn't something that interested me."

His door knocking on the national newspapers may have not borne fruit, but his potential had been recognised at the Manchester Guardian and when the post came up at the Bradford agency, he was recommended by the picture editor of that newspaper.

"I was printing the photographs at the agency, that was considered the apprenticeship, but I was told I would get a chance to go out and take pictures on occasions, too."

That chance arrived two days later when a story came in to the agency about an abandoned dog that had been discovered by dustbin collectors.

"It must have been a slow news day, and the Daily Express wanted a photo of the dog," says Guzelian.

Making his way to the RSPCA shelter, he knew a picture of an abandoned dog would not cut the mustard for a national newspaper.

"At the back of the centre were these old fashioned metal bins. I put the dog in one of them and got the shot of it with its head poking out of the top," says Guzelian.

The photograph didn't just make the Daily Express, which used the picture unusually large on a page. It also appeared in two other nationals.

Guzelian had started his career as a professional photographer and he spent the next eight years working for the Bradford agency.

In 1985, he made the decision that he would set up on his own and Guzelian, the Saltaire photography agency, was born.

"I was tired of taking uncreative pictures, camped in my car outside someone's house or outside court. I wanted to take a kind of photograph that would express my creativity."

Growing up in Cumbria, Guzelian was nine years-old when he first started taking photographs, using lampshades to compose his still life studies. Descended from a long line of artists, his mother, grandmother and grandfather were all painters, but Guzelian was drawn to photography because it was the "medium of the day".

The work he has collated during 25 years of running his own agency is being celebrated this year as part of the annual Saltaire Arts Trail in which more than 30 new and established artists from the region will exhibit work in eight "Open Houses" around the World Heritage village. The Trail, now in its fourth year, aims to offer a wide range of art forms which will appeal to both art connoisseurs and the general public.

The Guzelian exhibition is being held in the impressive roof space of Salts Mill, near Shipley, from September 11 to 19.

The collection of about 40 pictures, chosen from a bank of tens of thousands, is to cover a wide range of subjects, from the Armenian earthquake to locally-born artist, David Hockney – and will include many that have never been published.

"The public sometimes consider newspaper photography as something ephemeral, something that is tomorrow's fish and chip paper, but these photographs show that really what we are doing is recording history."

Organiser David Worsley says: "Our Open Houses will include art which is accessible to everyone and affordable as well as more challenging works for exhibition only.

"You'll be able to pick up some lovely objects for anything from 10 to several hundreds of pounds.

"People get a whole depth of experience when they come to the Saltaire Arts Trail, a fun event in which we hope to show what a difference art can make to people's lives.

"There's lots for the family to do and, at the same time, you get the chance to walk around a great heritage site in a great part of the country.

"There will also be a Makers' Fair at Victoria Hall, where more than 40 stands will exhibit everything from embroidery to pen-turning; workshops (booking essential) and a host of children's events, including den building, flag making and the chance to help the wildlife in your garden by making a Bug Hotel."

For more information, call David Worsley on 07802 445786 or visit www.saltaireartstrail.co.uk. To book a place on a workshop, call Kirkgate Studios and Workshops on 01274 598928.