Zaidis Photographers, Masson Narsingdas Building, The Mall, Lahore in 1959
Photo by: Shahid Zaidi (Zaidis Photographers)

Dyal Singh Building, The Mall – Lahore c. 1959
The story of Zaidis Photographers starts in 1904, when two brothers, Syed Wazir Ali Zaidi and Syed Nazir Ali Zaidi, formerly students of Mayo School of Arts (now NCA) left Lahore in search of improving their photographic skills and become portrait painters and photographers.
The second generation spread all over the sub-continent after growig up learning and practicing photography, opening studios in Ooticomand, Conoor, Kolkata, Dhaka, Chittagong, Khulna, Murree, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Abottabad and Peshawar.
In 1928, Syed Muhammad Ali Zaidi, the eldest of the second generation migrated back to Lahore and established his studio on The Mall where it still exists and is a proud landmark.
In 1962, Syed Shahid Ali Zaidi, from third generation of the Zaidis, took over the family business from his father and brought a lot of changes from the Back & White era to colour portraits and film making. Beside this he also started a new studio in Gulberg. Joining by his son, Syed Usman Zaidi, they have launched the fourth generation of Photography in the family.
Thanks to Isa Daudpota for forwarding this piece.
Old photos from their albums……………

Dinga Singh Building, The Mall of Lahore in 1959








Lawyer Raza Kazim

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S. M. Zafar

Bano Qudsia






Muhammad Ali Jinnah