Five Inspirational Quotes by Photographers and Part Eight of Our Tune-Up

We all love quotes because they are succinct little windows of wisdom.

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Hey, how about some photography quotes to start the week!

Here are five quotes about photography by renowned photographers, along with my reasons for including them in my little list.

1. "Photography is an austere and blazing poetry of the real." - Ansel Adams
   This quote by Ansel Adams highlights the ability of photography to capture and represent reality in a powerful and yet poetic way. To me, it emphasizes the artistry and expressive potential of the photographic medium. Photography, unlike other visual mediums, contains within it the element of time. A moment, even a fraction of a moment, caught in two dimensions by an image, can be so powerful as to bring on a flood of emotion.

2. "If your photos aren't good enough, then you're not close enough." - Robert Capa
   Capa's quote stresses the importance of getting close to the subject and immersing oneself in the scene to capture compelling photographs. I believe It encourages photographers to be bold and intimate in their approach, to come INTO the scene, and to become a part of the process itself. Getting close physically gives us an intimate view, but I also believe that getting close to the subject emotionally and mentally is just as important.

3. "There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment." - Robert Frank
   The quote by Robert Frank reveals the importance of capturing the human element and emotion in a photograph. I’ve always thought that it suggests that great photographs should convey a sense of shared human experience. I call it “visual literacy”, and the shared cultural and emotional touchstones we all know.

4. "Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything." - Aaron Siskind
   Aaron Siskind's message highlights the ability of photography to preserve moments, revive memories, and evoke emotions and feelings long after the moment has passed. It emphasizes the emotional, sentimental, and archival power of the medium. While different art can be lovely to look at, the reality of a photograph and the humanity captured brings a heightened engagement.

5. "The camera is an excuse to be someplace you otherwise don't belong. It gives me both a point of connection and a point of separation." - Susan Meiselas
   Meiselas speaks beautifully to the unique access and perspective that photography can provide, allowing photographers to witness and document scenes they might not otherwise be a part of. The camera can serve as a bridge and a barrier simultaneously. I know I behave differently when a camera is dangling before me. Photography has opened doors and allowed me to be places I never would have been able to be without it.

I love these little quotes because they offer insightful perspectives on the nature, purpose, and power of photography, and align with my view of the medium as more than just a tool to make pretty pictures, but a vital artistic expression that blends time, place, and the common senses of humanity into a single artifact.

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A new workshop for photographers who want to be better storytellers is starting July, 3, 2024. Find out more here.

You still have time to participate.

Here is what photographer Jan Sohlke said recently:

Cockpit of an old Deutz Tractor (May 2023).

Last year in May, I shot my first roll of film in quite a while. Thanks to Donald Giannatti "24 frames in May", I learned some nice lessons.

One: patience. the camera refused to show me what I just did and I had to wait four weeks before I could see the results. Shocking!

Two: letting go. With no backup and the possibility of wiping the whole film if you open the camera or the lab technician makes a mistake, you better tune down the OCD.

Three: character. While very grainy and less technically perfect than digital, there's something about the pictures that gives them a kind of character a lot of digital lacks. Or maybe I'm just old and feel younger when seeing these kinds of pictures.

That’s it for today.

See you all next time.

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And now, for premium members, part eight of the 15-week Week Photo Business Tune-Up.