Garry Winogrand, an iconic figure in 20th-century American photography, left behind a remarkable legacy through both his images and his profound insights into the art of photography. His approach emphasized spontaneity, the unfiltered reality of life, and the belief that photography is more about “how things look photographed” than the actual subjects themselves. In this article, we’ll explore some of his most notable quotes, shedding light on his philosophy and deep understanding of the medium.
1. The Essence of Photography
“Photography is not about the object photographed. It’s about how that object looks photographed.”
— Garry Winogrand
2. The Desire to See
“I have a burning desire to see how things look photographed by me.”
— Garry Winogrand
3. Everything is Photogenic
“Anything and everything is photogenic.”
— Garry Winogrand
4. Breaking Familiarity
“If I see something familiar in my viewfinder, I would do something to shake it up.”
— Garry Winogrand
5. The Photograph as Entity
“The photo is a thing in itself. And that’s what static photography is about.”
— Garry Winogrand
6. The Uncertainty of the Process
“You see something happening and you shoot. Either you get what you saw or something different, and whatever it is, you print it.”
— Garry Winogrand
7. No Fixed Rules
“There’s no way a photograph should look.”
— Garry Winogrand
8. More than a Representation
“A photograph is not what was photographed; it is something else.”
— Garry Winogrand
9. Capturing Reality
“To me, the real business of photography is to capture a little reality (whatever it is) on film.”
— Garry Winogrand
10. On the Edge of Failure
“Great photography is always on the edge of failure.”
— Garry Winogrand
11. The Importance of the Result
“You have to deal with how the photographs look, what’s there, not how they were made.”
— Garry Winogrand
12. The Beauty in Transformation
“Photography should be more interesting or more beautiful than what was photographed.”
— Garry Winogrand
13. The Photographer’s Responsibility
“A photographer is responsible for two things: what’s in the frame and when to press the shutter.”
— Garry Winogrand
14. The Nature of Photography
“There’s not a photograph in the world that has narrative capacity. None. They don’t tell stories; they show you how something looks.”
— Garry Winogrand
15. The Essence of Photography
“When I’m photographing, I see life. That’s what I’m trying to do.”
— Garry Winogrand
Conclusion
Garry Winogrand’s photography and his insights reveal a deep understanding of the medium as both an art form and a tool for exploring the world. His willingness to challenge conventions, embrace spontaneity, and see photography as a transformative process has left a lasting impact on the field. His quotes offer timeless wisdom for photographers and art lovers alike, reminding us that photography is not about adhering to rules or expectations, but about capturing the world as it is—and perhaps even more importantly, as it could be.
FAQs
- What was Garry Winogrand’s photography style? Garry Winogrand was known for his street photography, capturing candid moments of everyday life, particularly in urban settings.
- Did Garry Winogrand follow any specific rules in his photography? Winogrand rejected the idea of fixed rules in photography. He believed that a photograph could look any way and that there were no abstract rules that applied.
- Why did Garry Winogrand take photographs? Winogrand had a burning curiosity to see how things looked when photographed by him. He often said he photographed to understand the world around him.
- How did Winogrand approach familiar subjects? If something in his viewfinder looked familiar, he would deliberately change his approach to “shake it up” and create something unexpected.
- What does Winogrand mean by ‘A photograph is not what was photographed’? This quote reflects Winogrand’s belief that a photograph transforms its subject. The final image is a new entity, separate from the original scene.
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