Trained as a musician, [photographer Ansel] Adams understood the richness of variation that could be unfolded from a simple theme.

- John Szarkowski

Pure photography is a system of picture-making that describes more or less faithfully what might be seen through a rectangular frame from a particula…

- John Szarkowski

The very best pictures adapt themselves to many changes in meaning.

- John Szarkowski

The basic material of photographs is not intrinsically beautiful. It's not like ivory or tapestry or bronze or oil on canvas. You're not supposed to …

- John Szarkowski

The world now contains more photographs than bricks, and they are, astonishingly, all different.

- John Szarkowski

The goal is not to make something factually impeccable, but seamlessly persuasive.

- John Szarkowski

Photography is a contest between a photographer and the presumptions of approximate and habitual seeing. The contest can be held anywhere.

- John Szarkowski

A skillful photographer can photograph anything well.

- John Szarkowski

Photography is the easiest thing in the world if one is willing to accept pictures that are flaccid, limp, bland, banal, indiscriminately informative…

- John Szarkowski