Photography quotes
3.1K quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
Explore further
Browse quotes that often appear alongside photography — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.
Quote collection
Follow a thought to its author, or read the full quote page.
"It began when I was so ill that there was a good chance of dying. I promised myself that if I survived I would never again pander to a magazine's requests or follow the ideas of art directors. I would only make images which were personal, which arose out of my own life."
"For me the printing process is part of the magic of photography. It's that magic that can be exciting, disappointing, rewarding and frustrating all in the same few moments in the darkroom."
"When you can't think of anything else, photograph graffiti, nudes, or plants."
"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration."
"Some people's photography is an art. Not mine. Art is a dirty word in photography. All this fine art crap is killing it already."
""It is light that reveals, light that obscures, light that communicates. It is light I "listen" to. The light late in the day has a distinct quality, as it fades toward the darkness of evening. After sunset there is a gentle leaving of the light, the air begins to still, and a quiet descends. I see magic in the quiet light of dusk. I feel quiet, yet intense energy in the natural elements of our habitat. A sense of magic prevails. A sense of mystery. It is a time for contemplation, for listening - a time for making photographs. ""
"I continue to be a photographer; I have enjoyed fishing and hunting with a close friend; and have owned two ranches, first in northern California and then in the state of Washington."
"I believe photography is a tool to express our positive assessment of the world. A tool to acquire ultimate happiness and belief."
"Contrary to the general belief about photography, you don't need bright sunlight: the best moodiest pictures are taken in the dim light of almost dusk, or of rainy days."
"A photograph acquires something of the dignity which it ordinarily lacks when it ceases to be a reproduction of reality and shows us things that no longer exist."
"There's only one rule in photography - never develop colour film in chicken noodle soup."
"I like capturing stuff that is disappearing - that’s the point of photography. What I am photographing is an imaginary place that never existed, but is connected to something that has already been."
"I think people just see cinematography as being about photography and innovative shots and beautiful lighting. We all want our movies to look great visually, to be beguiling and enticing, but I think that what really defines a great cinematographer is one who loves story."
"...to photograph is to frame, and to frame is to exclude."
"A photograph is a most important document, and there is nothing more damning to go down to posterity than a silly, foolish smile caught and fixed forever."
"Only photograph what you love."
"I wanted to show the thing that had to be corrected: I wanted to show the things that had to be appreciated."
"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
"Videos are more like photography. It's not as much about trying to tell a story as it is creating images."
"Through a portrait, we can potentially see everything — the history and depth of a person's life, as well as evidence of a primal universal presence. I have dedicated my life and creative energy to capturing these transcendent moments in which a connection is made between the subject, the photographer, and the viewer."
