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What the human eye observes casually and incuriously, the eye of the camera (the lens) notes with relentless fidelity.
Berenice Abbott
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The camera captures details that humans often overlook, highlighting the importance of careful observation.

In this quote, Berenice Abbott emphasizes that while humans may observe their surroundings superficially, the camera has the ability to document reality with precision and clarity. This reveals the value of art and technology in capturing truths that our own eyes might miss, encouraging a deeper appreciation for detail and observation.

Themes

ObservationCameraArtPhotographyDetail

In practice

Example use cases

This quote can be used in a photography workshop to inspire students to observe their surroundings more closely.

More from Berenice Abbott

To chart a course, one must have a direction. In reality, the eye is no better than the philosophy behind it. The photographer creates, evolves a better, a more selective, more acute seeing eye by looking ever more sharply at what is going on in the world.
Berenice AbbottRead
Photography can never grow up if it imitates some other medium. It has to walk alone; it has to be itself.
Berenice AbbottRead
Actually, documentary pictures include every subject in the world - good, bad, indifferent. I have yet to see a fine photograph which is not a good document.
Berenice AbbottRead
Does not the very word 'creative' mean to build, to initiate, to give out, to act - rather than to be acted upon, to be subjective? Living photography is positive in its approach, it sings a song of life - not death.
Berenice AbbottRead
The camera is no more an instrument of preservation, the image is.
Berenice AbbottRead
Photography helps people to see.
Berenice AbbottRead

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