--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My aim is increasingly to make my…" description: "\"My aim is increasingly to make my photographs look so much like photographs [rather than paintings, etchings, etc.] that unless one has eyes and sees, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/530/alfred-stieglitz-13773_aim_my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photog_822023.jpg" --- # My aim is increasingly to make my photographs look so much… ![“My aim is increasingly to make my photographs look so much like photographs [rather than paintings, etchings, etc.] that unless one has eyes and sees, they won't be seen - and still everyone will never forget having once looked at them.” quote by Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/530/alfred-stieglitz-13773_aim_my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photog_822023.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/530/alfred-stieglitz-13773_aim_my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photog_822023.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/530/alfred-stieglitz-13773_aim_my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photog_822023.jpg) > “My aim is increasingly to make my photographs look so much like photographs \[rather than paintings, etchings, etc.\] that unless one has eyes and sees, they won't be seen - and still everyone will never forget having once looked at them.” [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He strives for photographs that are unmistakably photographic, so that viewers recognize them as real images and remember them vividly. **In simple terms:** Make photos look like true photos, not paintings, for lasting impact. Key Takeaway Prioritize clarity and authenticity in your images. Themes art perception memory Mood contemplative inspired Type philosophical artistic When to use this quote - gallery exhibitions - portfolio reviews - art education - marketing campaigns Key Concepts visual realism authenticity viewer engagement Questions to Reflect On - Can a photograph be both realistic and artistic? - When does authenticity become constraint? A Different Perspective Pure realism may limit creative expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Etching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/etching/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [Photographers must learn not to be ashamed to have their photographs look like photographs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/photographers-must-learn-not-to-be-ashamed-to-have-their-photographs/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [ I think of \[my photographs\] as found paintings because I don't crop them, I don't manipulate them or anything. So they're like found objects… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-hopper/i-think-of-my-photographs-as-found-paintings-because-i-don-t-crop/) [Dennis Hopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-hopper/) > [I find it satisfying that what I've done in photography has had so much influence in how people take photographs and what they look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-klein/i-find-it-satisfying-that-what-i-ve-done-in-photography-has-had-so/) [William Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-klein/) > [I have often photographed when I am not in tune with nature but the photographs look as if I had been. So I conclude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/i-have-often-photographed-when-i-am-not-in-tune-with-nature-but-the/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [“Why does anyone take photographs ever? We never look at them anymore.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/why-does-anyone-take-photographs-ever-we-never-look-at-them-anymore/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [You've got to deal with how photographs look, what's there, not how they're made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/you-ve-got-to-deal-with-how-photographs-look-what-s-there-not-how/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I'm very interested in making the photographs look real, but a lot of them are highly synthetic. They're hybrids, located somewhere between the found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-sultan/i-m-very-interested-in-making-the-photographs-look-real-but-a-lot-of/) [Larry Sultan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-sultan/) > [ \[William\] Eggleston's photographs look like they were taken by a Martian who lost the ticket for his flight home and ended up working at… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-dyer/william-eggleston-s-photographs-look-like-they-were-taken-by-a/) [Geoff Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-dyer/) > [I use the camera as a dumb copying device that only serves to document whatever phenomenon appears before it through the conditions set by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-huebler/i-use-the-camera-as-a-dumb-copying-device-that-only-serves-to/) [Douglas Huebler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-huebler/) > [When I first started making photo pieces it wasn't with the idea of a commitment to the medium. I didn't think I would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wegman/when-i-first-started-making-photo-pieces-it-wasn-t-with-the-idea-of-a/) [William Wegman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wegman/) > [You should make photographs with your heart, mind, eye & soul. The capture device is simply there to allow you to transfer your vision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-frakes/you-should-make-photographs-with-your-heart-mind-eye-soul-the-capture/) Bill Frakes > [One of the biggest mistakes a photographer can make is to look at the real world and cling to the vain hope that next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galen-rowell/one-of-the-biggest-mistakes-a-photographer-can-make-is-to-look-at-the/) [Galen Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galen-rowell/) > [What would please me most is to make photographs as incomprehensible as life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-klein/what-would-please-me-most-is-to-make-photographs-as-incomprehensible/) [William Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-klein/) > [We do not make photographs with our cameras. We make them with our minds, with our hearts, with our ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-newman/we-do-not-make-photographs-with-our-cameras-we-make-them-with-our/) [Arnold Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-newman/) > [I realized eventually that if I was really on top of what I was doing, I should be able to make photographs out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-mudford/i-realized-eventually-that-if-i-was-really-on-top-of-what-i-was-doing/) Grant Mudford ## More by Alfred Stieglitz > [The ability to make a truly artistic photograph is not acquired off-hand, but is the result of an artistic instinct coupled with years of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/the-ability-to-make-a-truly-artistic-photograph-is-not-acquired-off/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [I have all but killed myself for Photography. My passion for it is greater than ever. It's forty years that I have fought its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/i-have-all-but-killed-myself-for-photography-my-passion-for-it-is/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [If you can imagine photography in the guise of a woman and you’d ask her what she thought of Stieglitz, she’d say: He always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/if-you-can-imagine-photography-in-the-guise-of-a-woman-and-you-d-ask/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [Everything is relative except relatives, and they are absolute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/everything-is-relative-except-relatives-and-they-are-absolute/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [ A woman artist could be one of those intuitive geniuses \[who\] have kept their childlike spirit and have added to it breadth of vision… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/a-woman-artist-could-be-one-of-those-intuitive-geniuses-who-have-kept/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [Before the people at large, and for that matter, the artists themselves, understand what photography really means, as I understand that term, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/before-the-people-at-large-and-for-that-matter-the-artists-themselves/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [I was sad to leave Europe in 1890, after my student days in Germany... But then, once back in New York, I experienced an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/i-was-sad-to-leave-europe-in-1890-after-my-student-days-in-germany/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [Photographers must learn not to be ashamed to have their photographs look like photographs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/photographers-must-learn-not-to-be-ashamed-to-have-their-photographs/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [As a matter of fact, nearly all the greatest work is being, and has always been done, by those who are following photography for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/as-a-matter-of-fact-nearly-all-the-greatest-work-is-being-and-has/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [The goal of art was the vital expression of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/the-goal-of-art-was-the-vital-expression-of-self/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [“Photography is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/photography-is-a-reality-so-subtle-that-it-becomes-more-real-than/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [Photography my passion, the search for truth, my obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/photography-my-passion-the-search-for-truth-my-obsession/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [My cloud photographs are equivalents of my most profound life experiences, my basic philosophy of life. All art is an equivalent of the artist’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/my-cloud-photographs-are-equivalents-of-my-most-profound-life/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [Photography as a fad is well-nigh on its last legs, thanks principally to the bicycle craze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/photography-as-a-fad-is-well-nigh-on-its-last-legs-thanks-principally/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) > [Wherever there is light, one can photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/wherever-there-is-light-one-can-photograph/) [Alfred Stieglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) [Explore all 49 Alfred Stieglitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/) ## More Aim quotes > [If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/if-you-aim-at-nothing-you-will-hit-it-every-time/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [A good aim surveys the present state of experience of pupils, and forming a tentative plan of treatment, keeps the plan constantly in view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/a-good-aim-surveys-the-present-state-of-experience-of-pupils-and/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [The Christian man must aim at that complete obedience to God in which life finds its highest happiness, its greatest good, its perfect consummation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-christian-man-must-aim-at-that-complete-obedience-to-god-in-which/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [ He \[an earnest young reporter\] seemed to share the view of many intelligent, well-educated, well-meaning people that, while adult literature may aim to be… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/he-an-earnest-young-reporter-seemed-to-share-the-view-of-many/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [In Bosnia, little children shot in the head by a guy who thinks it's okay to aim his gun at a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-amanpour/in-bosnia-little-children-shot-in-the-head-by-a-guy-who-thinks-it-s/) [Christiane Amanpour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-amanpour/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [My aim was to make money for the bank. You lose track of the amounts involved when you are engaged in this kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-kerviel/my-aim-was-to-make-money-for-the-bank-you-lose-track-of-the-amounts/) [Jerome Kerviel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-kerviel/) > [My only aim is to clock a time that everyone remembers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hima-das/my-only-aim-is-to-clock-a-time-that-everyone-remembers/) [Hima Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hima-das/) > [My main aim has always been to do good quality films with roles that have some substance. With Power and Beauty there were loads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-henstridge/my-main-aim-has-always-been-to-do-good-quality-films-with-roles-that/) [Natasha Henstridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-henstridge/) > [ I really enjoyed it - being involved in watching rushes and playback \[in "The Invisible Woman"\]. Ralph \[Fiennes\] was very open to my input,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicity-jones/i-really-enjoyed-it-being-involved-in-watching-rushes-and-playback-in/) [Felicity Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicity-jones/) > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [The single aim of my life is that every child is: free to be a child, free to grow and develop, free to eat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-satyarthi/the-single-aim-of-my-life-is-that-every-child-is-free-to-be-a-child/) [Kailash Satyarthi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-satyarthi/) > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Prescribing hard work for the soft, or easy work for the hardy, is generally nonsense. What is always needed in any aim is right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/prescribing-hard-work-for-the-soft-or-easy-work-for-the-hardy-is/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/to-be-normal-is-the-ultimate-aim-of-the-unsuccessful/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) Browse all 3,047 Aim quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My aim is increasingly to make my photographs look so much like photographs [rather than paintings, etchings, etc.] that unless one has eyes and sees, they won't be seen - and still everyone will never forget having once looked at them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alfred Stieglitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photographs-look-so-much-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photographs-look-so-much-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/530/alfred-stieglitz-13773_aim_my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photog_822023.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/530/alfred-stieglitz-13773_aim_my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photog_822023.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/530/alfred-stieglitz-13773_aim_my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photog_822023.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My aim is increasingly to make my photographs look so much like photographs [rather than paintings…” — Alfred Stieglitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alfred Stieglitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-stieglitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My aim is increasingly to make...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photographs-look-so-much-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-stieglitz/my-aim-is-increasingly-to-make-my-photographs-look-so-much-like/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```