Douglas Lyttle photographs

Douglas A. Lyttle (1919-2017) began his career as a research chemist before switching to photography. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1941 with a degree in chemistry. Upon graduating, he worked for Merck & Co. before joining the Upjohn Company, a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Kalamazoo, Michigan. While working at these companies, Lyttle conducted research in a variety of areas including vitamins and steroids. Then, in 1961 he left the chemistry field to pursue a career in photography.

Lyttle started his career transition by opening his own studio where he focused on portraiture and architectural photography. In 1969, Lyttle accepted a faculty position in the Rochester Institute of Technology's (RIT) College of Graphic Arts and Photography. He had been awarded a Master of Photography degree by the Professional Photographers of America in 1966 and was granted the title of Photographic Craftsman by the organization in 1970. The latter designation was based on his performance as well as service to the profession. Additionally, Lyttle belonged to the American Society of Photographers and the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain. He retired from RIT in 1983 and was offered a position as a professor emeritus at the university.

In 1972, Lyttle traveled to Greece for the first time. Wanting to capture images of a non-western culture, he began photographing the Greek Monastic Republic of Mt. Athos, an area that was home to many Eastern Orthodox monasteries. During his 22 trips to the region between 1972 and 1998, Lyttle captured over 50,000 images and developed a respectful relationship with the area's inhabitants. As a result of his time spent there, he decided to convert to Orthodoxy in 1997 and took the name Douglas Demetrios Lyttle. His photographs were published in a book, Miracle on the Monastery Mountain, in 2002.