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Clarence John Laughlin

Clarence John Laughlin Quotes

Photographer

Clarence John Laughlin was an American photographer known for his unique style and profound insights into the culture of the American South. His work is predominantly in black and white, showcasing the natural landscapes, historical architecture, and everyday life of the American South.

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All World Enigma Form Humans Light Magic Mystery Photographer Reality Use

Famous Clarence John Laughlin Quotes

“There is nothing, under present conditions, that can be more easily and exactly reproduced than a technically good black-and-white photograph, and it is utter rot to burden those interested in them with irrelevant biographical trivia and pet longwinded theory.”

Black White Conditions Theory Photograph Burden Pet Black And White Irrelevant Trivia

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: the personal eye

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: the personal eye

“Photography is one of the most authentic and integral modes of expression possible in this world in which we live.”

World This World Expression Photography

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

“In old grimy streets, in isolated and decaying houses, sometimes far from the Vieux Carre, in little used and secluded cemeteries, there still sluggishly circulates the ebbing blood of the past, of a vigorous and vividly hued past.”

Littles Stills Sometimes Past Used House Blood Streets Isolated Vigorous Cemetery Secluded

Author:Clarence John Laughlin

“In our society, most of us wear protective masks of various kinds and for various reasons. Very often the end result is that the masks grow to us, displacing our original characters with our assumed characters.”

Kind Ends Reason Character Grows Results Originals Various Mask Our Society Protective End Results

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: the personal eye

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: the personal eye

“The mystery of light [and] the enigma of time form the twin pivots around which all my work revolves. In addition... my work attempts to create a mythology for our contemporary world.”

World Light Form Mystery Mythology Contemporary Twins Enigma

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

“Let us see as steadily and completely as possible the realities of our age: the wasted lives, the scattered and misused resources (human and material), the steel magic of the misdirected machinery, the mad clockwork tragedy of it all.”

Humans Reality Age Magic Materials Resources Tragedy Mad Steel Machinery Clockwork Wasted Life Misused

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

“As a whole, I am interested in the symbolic, rather than the literal use of the camera.”

Whole Use Cameras Symbolic Literal

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

“Everything that I see must become personal; otherwise, it is dead and mechanical. Our only chance to escape the blight of mechanization, of acting and thinking alike, of the huge machine which society is becoming, is to restore life to all things through the saving and beneficent power of the human imagination.”

Thinking Humans Imagination Chance Acting Huge Becoming All Things Machines Saving Blight Human Imagination Mechanization Thinking Alike

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: the personal eye

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: the personal eye

“... dissatisfaction with one's self and dissatisfaction with the world - is necessary - it is one of the prime things that keeps the artist going on - that drives him - happiness, as such, must come in between times, as best it can.”

World Self Artist Prime Dissatisfaction

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

“One of my basic feelings is that the mind, and the heart alike, of the photographer must be dedicated to the glory, the magic, and the mystery of light. The mystery of time, the magic of light, the enigma of reality - and their interrelationships - are my constant themes and preoccupations.”

Mind Heart Feelings Reality Light Magic Mystery Glory Constant Photographer Theme Dedicated Preoccupation Enigma

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: the personal eye

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: the personal eye

“I have approached the buildings as psychological and poetic manifestations - rather than from the more technical viewpoints of the architect and historian (which mostly miss the living spirit behind the forms).”

Form Spirit Behinds Missing Building Psychological Manifestation Poetic Historian Architect Viewpoints

Book:Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

Source: Clarence John Laughlin: visionary photographer

“It therefore should be possible for even the photographer - just as for the creative poet or painter - to use the object as a stepping stone to a realm of meaning completely beyond itself.”

Should Use Creative Objects Poet Stones Photographer Painter Realms Stepping Stones

Author:Clarence John Laughlin

About the Author

Born: August 14, 1905
Died: January 2, 1985
Known for: Photographer
Quotes: 12

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World Enigma Form Humans Light Magic Mystery Photographer Reality Use

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