“The public is being spoiled by good technical quality photographs in magazines, on television, in the movies, and they have become bored. The disease of our age is this boredom and a good photographer must successfully combat it. The only way to do this is by invention - by surprise.” WayAgeQualityTelevisionDiseaseSurprisePhotographerPhotographInventionMagazinesBoredBoredomCombatSpoiledBeing Spoiled Author:Alexey Brodovitch
“When the novice photographer starts taking pictures, he carries his camera about and shoots everything that interests him. There comes a time when he must crystallize his ideas and set off in an particular direction. He must learn that shooting for the sake of shooting is dull and unprofitable.” IdeasInterestParticularPhotographyCamerasPhotographerSakeShootingDullCarrieThere Comes A TimeTaking PicturesNovices Author:Alexey Brodovitch
“The personality and style of a photographer usually limits the type of subject with which he deals best. For example Cartier-Bresson is very interested in people and in travel; these things plus his precise feeling for geometrical relationships determine the type of pictures he takes best. What is of value is that a particular photographer sees the subject differently. A good picture must be a completely individual expression which intrigues the viewer and forces him to think.” PeopleThinkingFeelingsValuesIndividualForceDealsSubjectsStyleExampleParticularExpressionTypePersonalityLimitsPhotographyPhotographerDeterminePlusPreciseViewersIntrigueCartierIndividual Expression Author:Alexey Brodovitch
“It is every photographer's responsibility to discover new images and a new personal way of looking at things. If he can do this his pictures will command attention and have surprise quality.” IfsWayCan DoAttentionQualityResponsibilityPhotographySurprisePhotographerCommand Author:Alexey Brodovitch
“Outstanding past work in photography, and in fact in all the arts, is very important to today's photographers. But it should be used for inspiration and not for imitation. These works should be something to be built upon, not to be repeated.” ShouldArtImportantFactsInspirationTodayPastUsedPhotographyArt IsBuiltPhotographerImitationOutstanding Author:Alexey Brodovitch
“Photographers should make three or four prints from one negative and then crop them differently. When I was art director at Harper's Bazaar and at several agencies as a consultant, young photographers would bring me their portfolios and all the prints would be in the same standard proportions, either for the Leica or the Rolleiflex. Many times, by limiting themselves in this way, they missed the true potentialities of their photographs.” WayShouldArtWould BeYoungThreeFourDirectorsPhotographyStandardsNegativePhotographerPhotographAgencyProportionPrintCropsPortfoliosConsultantsHarperBazaarsArt DirectorLeica Author:Alexey Brodovitch
“It is the photographer's decision at the two levels of seeing the picture - when it is shot and when it is chosen and printed that determines his personal style.” TwoDecisionLevelsSeeingStylePhotographyShotsPhotographerDetermineChosenPrintedPersonal Style Author:Alexey Brodovitch
“What is of value is that a particular photographer sees the subject differently than I do. A good picture must be a completely individual expression which intrigues the viewer and forces him to think.” ThinkingValuesIndividualForceSubjectsParticularExpressionPhotographyPhotographerViewersIntrigueIndividual Expression Author:Alexey Brodovitch
“The creative life of the commercial photographer is like the life of a butterfly. Very seldom do we see a photographer who is really productive for more than eight or ten years.” YearsCreativeTenPhotographerEightProductiveButterflyCreative Life Author:Alexey Brodovitch
