What would please me most is to make photographs as incomprehensible as life.
William KleinRead
When you use film, you use accidents, but there aren't any accidents with digital photography. I don't mind that it's easy. But I do mind that there is a sort of consensus with the camera and the subject and the light, and you look at something, and you photograph it, and you get what you see.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the differences between film and digital photography, emphasizing the unique qualities of each medium.
William Klein expresses a viewpoint on the artistic process involved in photography, contrasting the unpredictability of film with the precision of digital images. He suggests that while digital photography is easier and more straightforward, it lacks the spontaneous and accidental moments that can lead to unique and compelling art, creating a more conscious agreement between the photographer and the elements captured.
Themes
PhotographyArtFilmDigitalCreativityAccidents
In practice
Example use cases
During a photography workshop, I could use this quote to explain the difference between creative processes in film and digital photography.
More from William Klein
All quotes →Memories. That's the thing about photography. I look at the contact sheet, and it brings back everything: whether I was tired, whether I was full of beans.
William KleinRead
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