Martin Chambi was taught photography
at the age of nine and by age twenty-six had set up his first studio in
Sicuani. In1917, while still young, Chambi was the first to issue a postcard of
Peru. He moved to Cuzco in 1920, where he opened his second studio, and there
Chambi's portraits of wealthy families, local politicians, and intellectuals
rapidly became fashionable. His concerns, however, also included documentation
of Peru's regional architecture and Indian heritage. A second studio in Cuzco, still
operated by his family, was opened in 1925.