Home / Authors / Andreas Feininger

Andreas Feininger

Andreas Feininger Quotes

Photographer

Andreas Feininger, born on December 27, 1906 in Germany and died on February 18, 1999, was a renowned photographer. His works are known for their unique perspective and exquisite craftsmanship, covering a wide range of subjects including architecture, landscape, and portrait.

Filter quotes by topic

All Photographer Photography Subjects Photograph Cameras Matter Interest Eye Form Knows

Famous Andreas Feininger Quotes

“(1) The more thoroughly a photographer explores his subject with the camera (i.e., the more pictures he makes), the more he sees and the better his chance of getting good results. (2) Even slight changes in subject approach can make significant differences in the effect of the picture.”

Differences Chance Results Subjects Effects Approach Cameras Photographer Significant

Author:Andreas Feininger

“Unless a subject interests me, I'll pass it over and save my film for better things.”

Film Interest Subjects

Book:Total photography

Source: Total photography

“Once a photographer is convinced that the camera can lie and that, strictly speaking, the vast majority of photographs are camera lies, inasmuch as they tell only part of a story or tell it in distorted form, half the battle is won. Once he has conceded that photography is not a naturalistic medium of rendition and that striving for naturalism in a photograph is futile, he can turn his attention to using a camera to make more effective pictures.”

Stories Form Lying Turns Attention Half Battle Photography Cameras Majority Strive Photographer Photograph Convinced Mediums Naturalism Conceded

Author:Andreas Feininger

“A photographer who does not know how to translate his feelings and ideas into a graphically satisfactory form is bound to produce ineffective photographs, no matter how idealistic, compassionate, sensitive or imaginative he may be. For in order to be considered good, a photograph must not only say something worthwhile, it must say it well.”

Knows Wells May Doe Ideas Matter Feelings Form Order Know How Produce Bounds Photographer Photograph Sensitive Compassionate Worthwhile Translate Imaginative Idealistic

Author:Andreas Feininger

“It's nothing but a matter of seeing, thinking, and interest. That's what makes a good photograph. And then rejecting anything that would be bad for the picture. The wrong light, the wrong background, time and so on. Just don't do it, not matter how beautiful the subject is.”

Thinking Matter Light Would Be Beautiful Interest Seeing Subjects Photography Photographer Photograph Backgrounds Rejecting

Author:Andreas Feininger

“Any good photograph is a successful synthesis of technique and art.”

Art Successful Photography Photographer Photograph Technique Synthesis

Book:Total photography

Source: Total photography

“No one can do inspired work without genuine interest in his subject and understanding of its characteristics.”

Understanding Interest Can Do Subjects Photography Inspired Photographer Genuine Characteristics

Book:Advanced photography: methods and conclusions

Source: Advanced photography: methods and conclusions

“What matters is not what you photograph, but why and how you photograph it. Even the most controversial subject, if depicted by a sensitive photographer with honesty, sympathy, and understanding, can be transformed into an emotionally rewarding experience.”

Ifs Matter Understanding Subjects Honesty Photography Photographer Photograph Sensitive Transformed What Matters Controversial Rewarding Experiences

Book:Total photography

Source: Total photography

“The difference in 'seeing' between the eye and the lens should make it obvious that a photographer who merely points his camera at an appealing subject and expects to get an appealing picture in return, may be headed for a disappointment.”

Should May Eye Differences Seeing Subjects Return Photography Cameras Photographer Disappointment Obvious Lenses

Book:Photographic seeing

Source: Photographic seeing

“A technically perfect photograph can be the world's most boring picture.”

World Perfect Photography Photographer Photograph Boring

Book:The Perfect Photograph

Source: The Perfect Photograph

“The first impression of a new subject is not necessary the best. Seen from a different angle or under different condition it might look even better. Always study a three - dimensional subject with one eye closed.”

Firsts Looks Different Might Eye Three Study Conditions Subjects Photography Impression Angle First Impression Different Angles

Author:Andreas Feininger

“Human vision is untrustworthy, subjective and selective. Camera vision is total and non - objective.”

Humans Vision Photography Cameras Photographer Objectives Subjective Selective Untrustworthy

Book:Total photography

Source: Total photography

“As an amateur you have an advantage over photographers - you can do as you wish... This should make amateurs the happiest of photographers.”

Should Wish Can Do Photography Advantage Photographer

Author:Andreas Feininger

“Two factors thus emerge as requisites of success in the field of creative photography. First, the subject must be photogenic. Second, its re-creation in a photograph must be based upon technical knowledge, guided and supported by artsitic inspiration.”

Firsts Two Inspiration Creative Subjects Creation Fields Photography Photograph Factors Photogenic Technical Knowledge

Book:Feininger on Photography

Source: Feininger on Photography

“Photographers - idiots, of which there are so many - say, "Oh, if only I had a Nikon or a Leica, I could make great photographs." That's the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. It's nothing but a matter of seeing, and thinking, and interest.”

Ifs Thinking Matter Interest Seeing Heard Photography Photographer Photograph Idiot Leica Nikon

Author:Andreas Feininger

“Experience has shown that the more fascinating the subject, the less observant the photographer.”

Subjects Photography Photographer Fascinating Observant

Book:The Perfect Photograph

Source: The Perfect Photograph

“Don't look for "depth" but instead search for subject aspects which prove the presence of depth.”

Looks Subjects Prove Photography Aspect Depth Photographer

Book:Total photography

Source: Total photography

“Before you shoot an irresistible subject, mute all your senses except sight to find out how much is left for the camera to record.”

Left Records Subjects Photography Sight Cameras Photographer Senses Irresistible Mute

Book:Total photography

Source: Total photography

“Every successful photograph, except for lucky shots, begins with an idea and a plan. The more precisely a photographer knows what it is he wishes to do, the better the chances are that he will do it.”

Knows Ideas Wish Chance Successful Plans Lucky Photography Shots Photographer Photograph Chances Are

Author:Andreas Feininger

“Realism and superrealism are what I'm after. This world is full of things the eye doesn't see. The camera can see more, and often 10 times better.”

World Eye This World Photography Cameras Photographer Realism

Author:Andreas Feininger

“With a short lens I can reveal the hidden things near at hand, with a long lens the hidden things far away. The telephoto lens provides a new visual sensation for people: it widens their horizons. And, conversely, the things under our nose invariably look good when blown up really big.”

People Looks Long I Can Hands Bigs Photography Photographer Noses Visuals Sensations Horizon Far Away Lenses Hidden Things

Author:Andreas Feininger

“The camera can push the new medium to its limits - and beyond. It is there - in the "beyond" - that the imaginative photographer will compete with the imaginative painter. Painting must return to the natural world from time to time for renewal of the artistic vision. The key sector of renewal of vision today is the new vistas revealed by science. Here photography, which is not only art but science also, stands on the firmest ground.”

World Art Today Natural Vision Painting Keys Return Limits Photography Cameras Photographer Mediums Painter Artistic Imaginative Renewal Natural World Vistas Artistic Vision

Author:Andreas Feininger

“Light is the photographic medium par excellence; it is to the photographer what words are to the writer; color and paint to the painter; wood, metal, stone, or clay to the sculptor.”

Light Color Photography Stones Excellence Paint Photographer Woods Mediums Painter Metals Clay Sculptors

Book:Photographic seeing

Source: Photographic seeing

“Know - how is worthless unless guided by know - why and know - when.”

Knows Know How Photography Photographer Worthless

Book:Total photography

Source: Total photography

“The photographer has almost as much control over his subject matter as a painter. He can control light and shade, form and space, pattern and texture, motion and mood, everything except composition.”

Matter Light Form Space Subjects Photographer Patterns Mood Painter Shade Composition Texture Subject Matter

Author:Andreas Feininger

“And yet, in a superficial sense, it is true that the camera does not "lie": given a chance, it will faithfully render everything within the field of view of the lens and show it precisely as it is.”

Views Pay Attention Fields Photography Pay Attention

Author:Andreas Feininger

About the Author

Born: December 27, 1906
Died: February 18, 1999
Known for: Photographer
Quotes: 26

Related Topics

Photographer Photography Subjects Photograph Cameras Matter Interest Eye Form Knows

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Total photographyRelated source material

Photographic seeingRelated source material

The Perfect PhotographRelated source material

Advanced photography: methods and conclusionsRelated source material

Feininger on PhotographyRelated source material

Similar Authors

Jay MaiselBrowse related quotes
Frederick SommerBrowse related quotes
Sebastiao SalgadoBrowse related quotes
Elliott ErwittBrowse related quotes
Joyce TennesonBrowse related quotes
Berenice AbbottBrowse related quotes
Edward WestonBrowse related quotes
David HurnBrowse related quotes
Bill JayBrowse related quotes
Josef KoudelkaBrowse related quotes