We do not make photographs with our cameras. We make them with our minds, with our hearts, with our ideas.
Arnold NewmanRead
Influences come from everywhere but when you are actually shooting you work primarily by instinct. But what is instinct? It is a lifetime accumulation of influence: experience, knowledge, seeing and hearing. There is little time for reflection in taking a photograph. All your experiences come to a peak and you work on two levels: conscious and unconscious.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Instinct in photography arises from accumulated influences and experiences.
In this quote, Arnold Newman explains that when capturing a photograph, a photographer relies on instinct shaped by their lifetime of experiences, knowledge, and influences. This instinct operates on both conscious and unconscious levels, allowing for immediate and intuitive decision-making without the luxury of extensive reflection.
Themes
PhotographyInstinctInfluenceExperienceArt
In practice
Example use cases
In a photography workshop, the instructor emphasizes the importance of trusting your instincts when shooting.
More from Arnold Newman
All quotes →We don't take photographs with our cameras, we take them with our hearts and our minds. They are a reflection of ourselves...wha t we are and what we think.
Arnold NewmanRead
Visual ideas combined with technology combined with personal interpretation equals photography. Each must hold it's own; if it doesn't, the thing collapses.
Arnold NewmanRead
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