[danpen]

Inspired by the recent BBC TV programs about photography, I've been looking into some of the photographers they've been discussing and came across a few good quotes.

I wondered if other people know of any photography related quotes that they've found inspiring, humorous or useful in some way that they'd like to share?

I'll kick it off -

I have never taken a picture for any other reason than that at that moment it made me happy to do so. - Jacques-Henri Lartigue

But I did not always know just what it was I wanted to photograph. I believe it is important for a photographer to discover this, for unless he finds what it is that excites him, what it is that calls forth at once an emotional response, he is unlikely to achieve his best work. - Bill Brandt

I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers. - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi


cheers

Dan

[Lone Buggin]

“People will say, ‘there are a million ways to shoot a scene,’ but I don’t
think so. I think there’re two, maybe. And the other one is wrong.” -David
Fincher
*

"The Future is already here .. it's just not evenly distributed ." William
Gibson

[Summerleft]

"Ah crap I left the lense cap on" Anon

[rafe]

If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event:

What kind of film would you use?

(can't remember who, but i've always remembered it!)

[shipwack]

"Life is like photography ... we use the negative to develop."
-- Harry Cohen Baba

Not exactly a quote, but part of an interview with my favorite photographer, Helmut Newton:

Helmut Newton on photography
Frank Horvat : Now it's all set up, the model, the streets, the dog and the baby. There you are, with your camera.
Helmut Newton : There I am with my camera. Frank, you see, if I don't set it up, what am I going to do? What do you do? Do you go out with a girl and God sends you an inspiration?
Frank Horvat : But when it's all there, girl, streets, dog and baby, do you shoot it the way you had in mind, or do you wait for something else, that is godgiven ?
Helmut Newton : Sometimes it happens, not very often, that God chooses to give me that ray of sunshine or that cloud, at the right moment. That's why I work outside, because I know that in the studio God can't do anything for me, all he could do would be send a thunderstorm that cuts off the electricity. Outside he can help me, he could also **** me up by sending a lot of rain, that would make it difficult, but he very rarely sends me light that's no good to me. Practically any light, somehow or other, I can deal with.
Frank Horvat : Because you are very clever.
Helmut Newton : No, because any light that God sends me is different. This keeps me interested: "quick, quick, quick, something is happening!"

[danpen]

There's some good ones there, I particularly like the one about the drowning man.

Here's another,

Somebody let the rabble in -Lewis Carroll, who used collodian plates, commenting on the introduction of film.

If he thought film made photography too accessible I wonder what he'd have to say about digital photography

cheers

Dan

[Markulous]

One I particularly like
Anything more than 500 yds from the car just isn't photogenic. - Brett Weston

A truism:
Every time someone tells me how sharp my photos are, I assume that it isn't a very interesting photograph. If it were, they would have more to say. - Author Unknown

Worth mentioning:
Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. - Ansel Adams

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Markulous

One I particularly like
Anything more than 500 yds from the car just isn't photogenic. - Brett Weston

That far !!!!! I would need a tent for base camp . If I can't feel the car heaters , I've gone too far

[Dave]

"If you're photographing in color you show the color of their clothes - if you use black and white, you will show the color of their soul"

[Markulous]

The prejudice many photographers have against colour photography comes from not thinking of colour as form. You can say things with colour that can’t be said in black and white…

Those who say that colour will eventually replace black and white are talking nonsense. The two do not compete with each other. They are different means to different ends. - Edward Weston

[Dave]

[Markulous]

Originally Posted by Dave

One I definitely relate to, seeing as that's exactly how I am:
Very often people looking at my pictures say, 'You must have had to wait a long time to get that cloud just right (or that shadow, or the light).' As a matter of fact, I almost never wait, that is, unless I can see that the thing will be right in a few minutes. But if I must wait an hour for the shadow to move, or the light to change, or the cow to graze in the other direction, then I put up my camera and go on, knowing that I am likely to find three subjects just as good in the same hour. - Edward Weston

[Lone Buggin]

"Success occurs when no one is looking. Failure occurs when the client is watching."
-Mr. Murphy

[fionaB]

Originally Posted by Dave

"If you're photographing in color you show the color of their clothes - if you use black and white, you will show the color of their soul"

love that...... best one by far and so true!