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W. Eugene Smith Quotes - Page 2

All Quotes Art Attitude Photography War
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.

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 Smith
Tragedy, Emotion, Photographer

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.

W. Eugene Smith
Emotional, Choices, Decision

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 Smith
Photography, Glasses, Photographer

I was after a set of pictures, so that when people looked at them they would say, ‘This is war’-that the people who were in the war would believe that I had truthfully captured what they had gone through I worked in the framework that war is horrible. I want to carry on what I have tried to do in these pictures. War is a concentrated unit in the world and these things are clearly and cleanly seen. Things like race prejudice, poverty, hatred and bigotry are sprawling things in civilian life, and not so easy to define as war.

W. Eugene Smith
War, Believe, Race

The purpose of all art is to cause a deep and emotion, also one that is entertaining or pleasing. Out of the depth and entertainment comes value.

W. Eugene Smith
Art, Depth, Purpose

I would that my photographs might be, not the coverage of a news event, but an indictment of war - the brutal corrupting viciousness of its doing to the minds and bodies of men; and, that my photographs might be a powerful emotional catalyst to the reasoning which would help this vile and criminal stupidity from beginning again.

W. Eugene Smith
Powerful, War, Emotional
W. Eugene Smith (1969). “W. Eugene Smith, his photographs and notes”

An artist must be ruthlessly selfish.

W. Eugene Smith
Selfish, Artist, Photographer

My pictures are complex and so am I. When I am almost symbolistic in writing, there is a more limiting difference’s of accepting, while I can be even more complex in the photographs and people can usually accept them within the framework of their own limitations or lack of limitations – there is no dictionary meaning… they can look up for the photographic image and allow it to confuse them.

W. Eugene Smith
Writing, Differences, People

I am an idealist. I often feel I would like to be an artist in an ivory tower. Yet it is imperative that I speak to people, so I must desert that ivory tower. To do this, I am a journalist - a photojournalist. But I am always torn between the attitude of the journalist, who is a recorder of facts, and the artist, who is often necessarily at odds with the facts. My principle concern is for honesty, above all honesty with myself.

W. Eugene Smith
Honesty, Attitude, Artist

I would that my photographs might be, not the coverage of a news event, but an indictment of war.

W. Eugene Smith
War, Events, News
W. Eugene Smith (1969). “W. Eugene Smith, his photographs and notes”

My pictures are complex and so am I.

W. Eugene Smith
Photographer, Complexes

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 Smith
Photography, Responsibility, Thinking

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