Top 6 Quotes by Henry Holmes Smith

Somebody said recently that the best thing a student could do was to get in some shows and publish a book; but nothing about becoming a human being, nothing about having important feelings or concepts of humanity.

Somebody said recently that the best thing a student could do was to get in some shows and publish a book; but nothing about becoming a human being, nothing about having important feelings or concepts of humanity. That's the sort of thing that is bad education. I'd say be a human being first and if you happen to wind up using photography, that's good for photography.

Henry Holmes Smith

Photography, Book, Wind

The intensely felt subjective image is always the reason for making a first rate picture.

Henry Holmes Smith

Firsts, Reason, Rate

Henry Holmes Smith, James Enyeart (1986). “Henry Holmes Smith: collected writings 1935-1985”, Center for Creative Photography

The brightest light makes the blackest mark.

Henry Holmes Smith

Light, Mark

I think control is the wrong word. I would put it this way. You see a lovely girl across a crowded room and you walk toward her with hope in your mind. That's the way [my] pictures are made.

Henry Holmes Smith

Girl, Thinking, Mind

People are competing to win at a game that is a loser's game. The game is to have better routine images than someone else's routine images. If you want a prescription for routine images, you just have to go through any student's portfolio.

Henry Holmes Smith

Winning, Games, People

In a world of disturbing images, the general body of photography is bland, dealing complacently with nature and treating our preconceptions as insights. Strange, private worlds rarely slip past our guard.

Henry Holmes Smith

Photography, Past, World

Henry Holmes Smith, James Enyeart (1986). “Henry Holmes Smith: collected writings 1935-1985”, Center for Creative Photography