Brothers Haigaz and Levon Mangoian fled their home in southern Turkey due to hostility from the Ottoman Empire and settled in Larnaca, Cyprus in 1920. In Cyprus, Haigaz became photographer Leopold Glaszner's apprentice. In 1924, the brothers established a photography studio, Mangoian Bros., and were appointed the official photographers to the British Governor of Cyprus, Sir Richard Palmer. From the mid 1930's until the 1950's, Haigaz documented Cyprus during British colonial rule.