Top 25 John Szarkowski Quotes (2024 Update)

John Szarkowski Quote: “Because we see reality in different ways, we must understand that we are looking at different truths rather than the truth and that, therefore, all photographs lie in one way or another.”

1. “Because we see reality in different ways, we must understand that we are looking at different truths rather than the truth and that, therefore, all photographs lie in one way or another.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “A skillful photographer can photograph anything well.”

2. “A skillful photographer can photograph anything well.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “To quote out of context is the essence of the photographer’s craft.”

3. “To quote out of context is the essence of the photographer’s craft.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “The central act of photography, the act of choosing and eliminating, forces a concentration on the picture edge – the line that separates in from out – and on the shapes that are created by it.”

4. “The central act of photography, the act of choosing and eliminating, forces a concentration on the picture edge – the line that separates in from out – and on the shapes that are created by it.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Pure photography is a system of picture-making that describes more or less faithfully what might be seen through a rectangular frame from a particular vantage point at a given moment.”

5. “Pure photography is a system of picture-making that describes more or less faithfully what might be seen through a rectangular frame from a particular vantage point at a given moment.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “The photographer’s vision convinces us to the degree that the photographer hides his hand.”

6. “The photographer’s vision convinces us to the degree that the photographer hides his hand.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “The simplicity of photography lies in the fact that it is very easy to make a picture. The staggering complexity of it lies in the fact that a thousand other pictures of the same subject would have been equally easy.”

7. “The simplicity of photography lies in the fact that it is very easy to make a picture. The staggering complexity of it lies in the fact that a thousand other pictures of the same subject would have been equally easy.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Speaking of photography Baudelaire said: “This industry, by invading the territories of art, has become art’s most mortal enemy.” And in his own terms of reference Baudelaire was half right; certainly the new medium could not satisfy old standards. The photographer must find new ways to make his meaning clear.”

8. “Speaking of photography Baudelaire said: “This industry, by invading the territories of art, has become art’s most mortal enemy.” And in his own terms of reference Baudelaire was half right; certainly the new medium could not satisfy old standards. The photographer must find new ways to make his meaning clear.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Photography is a contest between a photographer and the presumptions of approximate and habitual seeing. The contest can be held anywhere...”

9. “Photography is a contest between a photographer and the presumptions of approximate and habitual seeing. The contest can be held anywhere...”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “The world now contains more photographs than bricks, and they are, astonishingly, all different.”

10. “The world now contains more photographs than bricks, and they are, astonishingly, all different.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Photography’s central sense of purpose and aesthetic: the precise and lucid description of significant fact.”

11. “Photography’s central sense of purpose and aesthetic: the precise and lucid description of significant fact.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “The very best pictures adapt themselves to many changes in meaning.”

12. “The very best pictures adapt themselves to many changes in meaning.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “It isn’t what a picture is of, it is what it is about.”

13. “It isn’t what a picture is of, it is what it is about.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “The basic material of photographs is not intrinsically beautiful. It’s not like ivory or tapestry or bronze or oil on canvas. You’re not supposed to look at the thing, you’re supposed to look through it. It’s a window.”

14. “The basic material of photographs is not intrinsically beautiful. It’s not like ivory or tapestry or bronze or oil on canvas. You’re not supposed to look at the thing, you’re supposed to look through it. It’s a window.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Most of Tina Modotti’s work that is known to the photography world was done in Mexico in the years 1923 through 1926, when she lived and worked with Edward Weston.”

15. “Most of Tina Modotti’s work that is known to the photography world was done in Mexico in the years 1923 through 1926, when she lived and worked with Edward Weston.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Photography is the easiest thing in the world if one is willing to accept pictures that are flaccid, limp, bland, banal, indiscriminately informative, and pointless. But if one insists in a photograph that is both complex and vigorous it is almost impossible.”

16. “Photography is the easiest thing in the world if one is willing to accept pictures that are flaccid, limp, bland, banal, indiscriminately informative, and pointless. But if one insists in a photograph that is both complex and vigorous it is almost impossible.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “The goal is not to make something factually impeccable, but seamlessly persuasive.”

17. “The goal is not to make something factually impeccable, but seamlessly persuasive.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Like an organism, photography was born whole. It is in our progressive discovery of it that its history lies.”

18. “Like an organism, photography was born whole. It is in our progressive discovery of it that its history lies.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Photography is choosing where to point your eye-cone.”

19. “Photography is choosing where to point your eye-cone.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Whatever else a photograph may be about, it is inevitably about photography, the container and vehicle of all its meanings.”

20. “Whatever else a photograph may be about, it is inevitably about photography, the container and vehicle of all its meanings.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Luck is the attentive photographer’s best teacher.”

21. “Luck is the attentive photographer’s best teacher.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “What’s happening is that people are making a billion photographs a year of their cats, frequently with the cats wearing costumes. Do you think I should be doing shows of cat photography?”

22. “What’s happening is that people are making a billion photographs a year of their cats, frequently with the cats wearing costumes. Do you think I should be doing shows of cat photography?”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “A camera has interesting ideas of its own.”

23. “A camera has interesting ideas of its own.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “A photographer’s best work is, alas, generally done for himself.”

24. “A photographer’s best work is, alas, generally done for himself.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “In practice a photographer does not concern himself with philosophical issues while working; he makes photographs, working with subject matter that he thinks will make the pictures.”

25. “In practice a photographer does not concern himself with philosophical issues while working; he makes photographs, working with subject matter that he thinks will make the pictures.”

— John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski Quote: “Photography was not invented to serve a clearly understood function. There was in fact widespread uncertainty, even among its inventors, as to what it might be good for.”

26. “Photography was not invented to serve a clearly understood function. There was in fact widespread uncertainty, even among its inventors, as to what it might be good for.”

— John Szarkowski

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