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
Any photograph has multiple meanings: indeed, to see something in the form of a photograph is to encounter a potential object of fascination. The ultimate wisdom of the photographic image is to say: “There is the surface. Now think – or rather feel, intuit – what is beyond it, what the reality must be like if it looks this way.’ Photographs, which cannot themselves explain anything, are inexhaustible invitations to deduction, speculation, and fantasy
Interpretation
What this quote means
Photographs can evoke deeper thoughts and emotions, inviting viewers to explore beyond the surface.
Susan Sontag's quote emphasizes the complexity of photographs, suggesting that they are not mere representations of reality but instead open up a realm of interpretation and imagination. By viewing a photograph, one is prompted to think beyond what is visually presented, engaging with the unseen realities and emotions that lie beneath the surface, making each photograph an invitation for personal reflection and speculation.
Themes
PhotographyArtInterpretationEmotionReality
In practice
Example use cases
In a photography class, I shared this quote to highlight the depth of photos beyond their surface.
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Volume depends precisely on the writer's having been able to sit in a room every day, year after year, alone.
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It hurts to love. It's like giving yourself to be flayed and knowing that at any moment the other person may just walk off with your skin.
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