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Quote by John Szarkowski

Work

William Eggleston's Guide

William Eggleston's Guide delves into the work of the renowned photographer, showcasing his distinctive color photography style and its influence on contemporary art. The book features an extensive collection of Eggleston's images, accompanied by insightful commentary and analysis. more

Author

John Szarkowski
John Szarkowski

John Szarkowski was a renowned American photographer known for his profound understanding and unique perspective on photographic art. His work spans a wide range of fields from black and white to color photography, profoundly influencing the development of photographic art. more

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“Because each photograph is only a fragment, its moral and emotional weight depends on where it is inserted. A photograph changes according to the context in which it is seen: thus Smith's Minamata photographs will seem different on a contact sheet, in a gallery, in a political demonstration, in a police file, in a photographic magazine, in a book, on a living-room wall. Each o these situations suggest a different use for the photographs but none can secure their meaning.”

“Knowing a great deal about what is in the world art, catastrophe, the beauties of nature through photographic images, people are frequently disappointed, surprised, unmoved when the see the real thing. For photographic images tend to subtract feeling from something we experience at first hand and the feelings they do arouse are, largely, not those we have in real life. Often something disturbs us more in photographed form than it does when we actually experience it.”

“Photography is to the layman perhaps the most enticing art. As a buff and a follower, at a respectful distance, I find myself like others, having the heart of a Steiglitz with hands that sometimes seem impeded by boxing gloves. What is exasperating is that one can feel closer to managing the skills of photography than most other arts, and yet be a long hop, skip and delusional way from it.”

“Different levels of photography require different levels of understanding and skill. A "press the button, let George do the rest" photographer needs little or no technical knowledge of photography. A zone system photographer takes more responsibility. He visualizes before he presses the button, and afterwards calibrates for predictable print values.”