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A new collection of personal photographs — many never-before published — offers a fascinating glimpse into the work and life of Mawlana Hazar Imam. The book, entitled Depth of Field, is available to pre-order now from The Ismaili Shop.

n 1984, shortly before the inauguration of the Ismaili Centre Vancouver, a young local photographer was commissioned to take photos of the building and its gardens during the final construction phase. A few months later, to his surprise, he was invited back to photograph the official opening of the Centre in the presence of Mawlana Hazar Imam and the then Canadian Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney.

The event marked the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship between him and the Aga Khan Development Network. The photographer, Gary Otte, has since taken many thousands of photos of Mawlana Hazar Imam’s visits to his Jamats, his meetings with world leaders, and AKDN projects across the world.

Printed photographs allow us to peek into the past, to an era before camera phones and Instagram, and also help us to learn how we arrived where we are today. They enable us to observe the world and its people from different perspectives, capturing the most fleeting of moments, preserving them forever within the bounds of a frame.

In recent years, Mr Otte has undertaken a process of selecting a number of photos — taken by him and others — to feature in a special new publication entitled Depth of Field: The Aga Khan Beyond the Lens. Presented for the first time in one volume, the collection of more than 200 images of Hazar Imam spans eight decades and 48 different countries, and includes the work of 50 different photographers.

The Ismaili is pleased to announce the release of our official mobile app, putting the latest news related to the Jamat and its institutions in your pocket!