I can’t stand these damn shows on museum walls with neat little frames, where you look at the images as if they were pieces of art. I want them to be pieces of life!
W. Eugene SmithRead
Up to and including the moment of exposure, the photographer is working in an undeniably subjective way. By his choice of technical approach, by the selection of the subject matterand by his decision as to the exact cinematic instant of exposure, he is blending the variables of interpretation into an emotional whole.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Photography is an artistic interpretation shaped by personal choices and emotional insights.
This quote emphasizes the subjective nature of photography, highlighting how a photographer's decisions—ranging from technical aspects to subject selection—contribute to the emotional impact of the final image. It suggests that every photograph is not just a capture of reality but a blend of personal interpretation and emotion, where every choice made by the photographer influences how the viewer perceives the image.
Themes
PhotographySubjectivityEmotionInterpretationArt
In practice
Example use cases
During a photography class when discussing creative techniques.
More from W. Eugene Smith
All quotes →I've never made any picture, good or bad, without paying for it in emotional turmoil.
W. Eugene SmithRead
Most photographers seem to operate with a pane of glass between themselves and their subjects. They just can't get inside and know the subject.
W. Eugene SmithRead
I try to take what voice I have and I give it to those who don’t have one at all.
W. Eugene SmithRead
The photographer must bear the responsibility for his work and its effect …[for] photographic journalism, because of its tremendous audience reached by publications using it, has more influence on public thinking than any other branch of photography.
W. Eugene SmithRead
Many claim I am a photographer of tragedy. In the greater sense I am not, for though I often photograph where the tragic emotion is present, the result is almost invariably affirmative.
W. Eugene SmithRead
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