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There is nothing as mysterious as a fact clearly described. I photograph to see what something will look like photographed.
Garry Winogrand
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote emphasizes the clarity that comes from careful observation and representation of reality through photography.

Garry Winogrand's quote reflects on the relationship between reality and its depiction through photography. He suggests that when a fact is clearly described, it becomes a mystery in its own right, inviting deeper exploration. Photography serves as a medium for understanding and visualizing the world, revealing insights about the subject that might not be apparent until viewed through the lens.

Themes

PhotographyRealityObservationArtRepresentation

In practice

Example use cases

A photographer's manifesto on the importance of understanding light and composition.

More from Garry Winogrand

The photo is a thing in itself. And that's what still photography is all about.
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The photograph should be more interesting or more beautiful than what was photographed
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Photography is about finding out what can happen in the frame. When you put four edges around some facts, you change those facts.
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When I’m photographing I see life.
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Photography is not about the thing photographed. It is about how that thing looks photographed.
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I like to think of photographing as a two-way act of respect. Respect for the medium, by letting it do what it does best, describe. And respect for the subject, by describing it as it is. A photograph must be responsible to both.
Garry WinograndRead

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