--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The hardest thing in photography is to…" description: "\"The hardest thing in photography is to create a simple image.\" — Anne Geddes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/anne-geddes-40048_creating_the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-c_1549383.png" --- # The hardest thing in photography is to create a simple… ![“The hardest thing in photography is to create a simple image.” quote by Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/anne-geddes-40048_creating_the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-c_1549383.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/anne-geddes-40048_creating_the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-c_1549383.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/anne-geddes-40048_creating_the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-c_1549383.png) > “The hardest thing in photography is to create a simple image.” [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating a simple image requires stripping away excess to reveal the essence of the subject. **In simple terms:** Simplicity comes from removing clutter. Key Takeaway Focus on the core subject. Themes simplicity composition visual storytelling Mood reflective inspired Type instructional philosophical When to use this quote - portrait sessions - product shoots - educational tutorials Key Concepts minimalism visual hierarchy clarity Questions to Reflect On - How can you identify the essential element in a scene? - What distractions can you eliminate? A Different Perspective Simplicity can be hard to achieve when trends demand complexity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Paradox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradox/) [Paradoxical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paradoxical/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [I started to notice that simpleness is divine. I think we all start trying to use very complex harmonies and rhythms and all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoko-ono/i-started-to-notice-that-simpleness-is-divine-i-think-we-all-start/) [Yoko Ono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoko-ono/) > [“Keep your mind clear to create simple solutions. Remove any distractions, like the TV, email prompts, unnecessary interruptions or telephone calls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-mininni/keep-your-mind-clear-to-create-simple-solutions-remove-any/) [Lisa Mininni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-mininni/) > [I like to create a simple space and surround myself with things that I like to look at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rocha/i-like-to-create-a-simple-space-and-surround-myself-with-things-that/) [John Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rocha/) > [The purpose of photography is to create an emotion about the world through what has been carefully seen and selected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-siegel/the-purpose-of-photography-is-to-create-an-emotion-about-the-world/) [Eli Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-siegel/) > [Let us... leave art to the artists, and let us try to use the medium of photography to create photographs that can endure because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-renger-patzsch/let-us-leave-art-to-the-artists-and-let-us-try-to-use-the-medium-of/) [Albert Renger-Patzsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-renger-patzsch/) > [I believe that photography can create great works of art, but hitherto it has been extraordinarily bourgeois and babbling. (1908)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auguste-rodin/i-believe-that-photography-can-create-great-works-of-art-but-hitherto/) [Auguste Rodin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auguste-rodin/) > [ Of course \[photography\] cannot create, nor express all we want to express. But it can be a witness of our passage on earth, like… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-giacomelli/of-course-photography-cannot-create-nor-express-all-we-want-to/) [Mario Giacomelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-giacomelli/) > [Photographing is an emotional thing, a graceful thing. Photography allows me to wander with a purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-freed/photographing-is-an-emotional-thing-a-graceful-thing-photography/) [Leonard Freed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-freed/) > [The thing about photography is that every day is a new day, even if you are working on the same story, because every day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-benson/the-thing-about-photography-is-that-every-day-is-a-new-day-even-if/) [Harry Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-benson/) > [If there is a good thing about photography, it is that it can be easily enjoyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-armstrong-jones-1st-earl-of-snowdon/if-there-is-a-good-thing-about-photography-it-is-that-it-can-be/) [Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-armstrong-jones-1st-earl-of-snowdon/) > [I'm almost violent about that stuff - electronic manipulation of pictures. I think it's an abomination. I reject it all. I mean, it's OK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-erwitt/i-m-almost-violent-about-that-stuff-electronic-manipulation-of/) [Elliott Erwitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-erwitt/) > [Everyone is a photographer now, remember. That's the great thing about photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/everyone-is-a-photographer-now-remember-that-s-the-great-thing-about/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [To me, the main and most exciting thing about photography is to meet people. The picture is the result of what happened between me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesco-carrozzini/to-me-the-main-and-most-exciting-thing-about-photography-is-to-meet/) Francesco Carrozzini > [The photo is a thing in itself. And that's what still photography is all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/the-photo-is-a-thing-in-itself-and-that-s-what-still-photography-is/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [The thing about photography is, some people surround themselves with extremely strong subject matter. And unless you're a moron, you're going to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-summers/the-thing-about-photography-is-some-people-surround-themselves-with/) [Andy Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-summers/) ## More by Anne Geddes > [I photograph from the heart. I adore little babies and I think that shows. My images are really very positive, very simple, and from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/i-photograph-from-the-heart-i-adore-little-babies-and-i-think-that/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [I have a deep respect and love for these tiny humans, and I hope to convey in my images a measure of the beauty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/i-have-a-deep-respect-and-love-for-these-tiny-humans-and-i-hope-to/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [I have a deep love and respect for children and I cannot imagine photographic life without them playing a major part. I hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/i-have-a-deep-love-and-respect-for-children-and-i-cannot-imagine/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [Any man can be a father. It takes someone special to be a dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/any-man-can-be-a-father-it-takes-someone-special-to-be-a-dad/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [The best images are the ones that retain their strength and impact over the years, regardless of the number of times they are viewed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/the-best-images-are-the-ones-that-retain-their-strength-and-impact/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [Children are the true believers, and some of us are lucky enough to make the transition to adulthoood without ever losing the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/children-are-the-true-believers-and-some-of-us-are-lucky-enough-to/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [I can't think of any flower that wouldn't be suitable to merge with an image of a newborn, and as I was planning for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/i-can-t-think-of-any-flower-that-wouldn-t-be-suitable-to-merge-with/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [I think that emotional content is an image's most important element, regardless of the photographic technique. Much of the work I see these days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/i-think-that-emotional-content-is-an-image-s-most-important-element/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/any-man-can-be-a-father-but-it-takes-someone-special-to-be-a-dad/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) > [The trouble with flowers is that invariably, when I'm ready to photograph them, they are not in season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/the-trouble-with-flowers-is-that-invariably-when-i-m-ready-to/) [Anne Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) [Explore all 11 Anne Geddes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/) ## More Creating quotes > [How could you feel worthless when God has honoured you by creating you and choosing you to be with Him, in this life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/how-could-you-feel-worthless-when-god-has-honoured-you-by-creating/) [Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/) > [People who are creating history don't realize they're creating it at the time it's happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-dreymon/people-who-are-creating-history-don-t-realize-they-re-creating-it-at/) [Alexander Dreymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-dreymon/) > [When I am creating art, I have absolutely no social responsibility. It's like dreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/when-i-am-creating-art-i-have-absolutely-no-social-responsibility-it/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [Europe is creating the flight of refugees that's tearing it apart politically, and leading rightwing nationalist parties to gain power to withdraw from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/europe-is-creating-the-flight-of-refugees-that-s-tearing-it-apart/) [Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/) > [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. The upside to it is that more people are creating than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/you-can-disseminate-your-art-and-it-s-all-such-easy-access-now-the/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) > [“It didn’t matter that the scarves weren’t even all that special or great or that I was making far too many to actually keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-vercillo/it-didn-t-matter-that-the-scarves-weren-t-even-all-that-special-or/) [Kathryn Vercillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-vercillo/) > [I think, if I had my choice, I would spend all my time in the studio writing, and creating music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-condon/i-think-if-i-had-my-choice-i-would-spend-all-my-time-in-the-studio/) [Zach Condon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-condon/) > [Your problem is how you are going to spend this one odd and precious life you have been issued. Whether you're going to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/your-problem-is-how-you-are-going-to-spend-this-one-odd-and-precious/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [The ultimate goal of radical politics is gradually to displace the limit of social exclusions, empowering the excluded agents (sexual and ethnic minorities) by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slavoj-i-ek/the-ultimate-goal-of-radical-politics-is-gradually-to-displace-the/) [Slavoj Žižek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slavoj-i-ek/) > [Creating a top team and being in a position to win the Tour de France will give me a nice feeling. But I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-alonso/creating-a-top-team-and-being-in-a-position-to-win-the-tour-de-france/) [Fernando Alonso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-alonso/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You wind up creating from silence, like painting a picture on a blank canvas that could bring tears to somebody's eyes. As songwriters, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-atkins/you-wind-up-creating-from-silence-like-painting-a-picture-on-a-blank/) [Rodney Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-atkins/) > [Intimacy requires an ability to both merge and be separate, to come together and be apart, like oscillating on a giant swing from oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-sophia-kasl/intimacy-requires-an-ability-to-both-merge-and-be-separate-to-come/) [Charlotte Sophia Kasl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-sophia-kasl/) > [Creating something new is easy, creating something that lasts is the challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-braun/creating-something-new-is-easy-creating-something-that-lasts-is-the/) [Adam Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-braun/) [Browse all 3,972 Creating quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creating/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The hardest thing in photography is to create a simple image.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anne Geddes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-create-a-simple-image/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creating" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-create-a-simple-image/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/anne-geddes-40048_creating_the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-c_1549383.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/anne-geddes-40048_creating_the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-c_1549383.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a66/anne-geddes-40048_creating_the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-c_1549383.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The hardest thing in photography is to create a simple image.” — Anne Geddes", "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": "Anne Geddes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-geddes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The hardest thing in photography is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-create-a-simple-image/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-geddes/the-hardest-thing-in-photography-is-to-create-a-simple-image/#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 } } ] } ```