The camera is for us a tool, not a pretty mechanical toy ... people think far too much about techniques and not enough about seeing.
Henri Cartier-BressonRead
It is through living that we discover ourselves, at the same time as we discover the world around us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We learn about our own identities while also gaining knowledge of the world through our experiences.
This quote emphasizes the idea that self-discovery and understanding of the world are intertwined experiences. As we engage with life, we not only learn about our personal values and beliefs but also become more aware of the world and its complexities. The act of living, with its myriad experiences, serves as a mirror reflecting our true selves while simultaneously exposing us to diverse perspectives and cultures that shape our understanding of existence.
Themes
Self-DiscoveryExperienceWorldIdentityLiving
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about self-exploration.
More from Henri Cartier-Bresson
All quotes βThe most difficult thing for me is a portrait. You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and his shirt.
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Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important.
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Photographier: c'est mettre sur la meme ligne de mire la tete, l'oeil et le coeur.
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Above all, I craved to seize the whole essence, in the confines of one single photograph, of some situation that was in the process of unrolling itself before my eyes.
Henri Cartier-BressonRead
Pictures, regardless of how they are created and recreated, are intended to be looked at. This brings to the forefront not the technology of imaging, which of course is important, but rather what we might call the eyenology (seeing).
Henri Cartier-BressonRead
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