Like the collector, the photographer is animated by a passion that, even when it appears to be for the present, is linked to a sense of the past.
Susan SontagRead
In America, the photographer is not simply the person who records the past, but the one who invents it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that photographers play a crucial role in shaping narratives about the past through their images.
Susan Sontag's quote emphasizes the influential power of photographers in the interpretation and presentation of history. Rather than merely documenting events as they occurred, photographers actively curate and 'invent' the narratives that surround their subjects, thus shaping public perception and memory of the past.
Themes
PhotographyHistoryNarrativeArtPerception
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the influence of art on society, one might reference this quote to illustrate how photography shapes historical narratives.
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