--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was primarily interested in people, and…" description: "\"I was primarily interested in people, and people in action, so that I did nothing photographically in the sense of doing buildings for their own sake o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/ben-shahn-10836_action_i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and_723078.jpg" --- # I was primarily interested in people, and people in… ![“I was primarily interested in people, and people in action, so that I did nothing photographically in the sense of doing buildings for their own sake or a still life or anything like that.” quote by Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/ben-shahn-10836_action_i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and_723078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/ben-shahn-10836_action_i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and_723078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/ben-shahn-10836_action_i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and_723078.jpg) > “I was primarily interested in people, and people in action, so that I did nothing photographically in the sense of doing buildings for their own sake or a still life or anything like that.” [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He focuses on photographing people in action, not static subjects or architecture. **In simple terms:** He prefers dynamic human subjects over still objects. Key Takeaway Capture human movement. Themes photography humanism action Mood observational thoughtful Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - journalism - street photography - storytelling Key Concepts portraiture documentary social commentary Questions to Reflect On - How does photographing people reveal societal truths? - What stories emerge from movement? A Different Perspective Focusing only on people may miss broader context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Still life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still-life/) ## Related quotes > [I think all artists are only interested in a couple of themes, really. I'm primarily interested in change and connection as being this restorative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/i-think-all-artists-are-only-interested-in-a-couple-of-themes-really/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [I'm primarily interested in examining human issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/i-m-primarily-interested-in-examining-human-issues/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [I'm still primarily interested in observing as closely as possible the shifting weather between people. I think the master of this sort of thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/i-m-still-primarily-interested-in-observing-as-closely-as-possible/) [Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/) > [This will surprise some of your readers, but my primary interest is not with computer security. I am primarily interested in writing software that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wietse-venema/this-will-surprise-some-of-your-readers-but-my-primary-interest-is/) [Wietse Venema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wietse-venema/) > [The main difference between me and other people who have amassed this kind of money is that I am primarily interested in ideas, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/the-main-difference-between-me-and-other-people-who-have-amassed-this/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [If you judge everything by how photographically real it looks, then you're missing out on a lot of what art is about and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-wheatley/if-you-judge-everything-by-how-photographically-real-it-looks-then/) [Ben Wheatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-wheatley/) > [I think there's some stuff that's at least photographically interesting. There are things I back off from trying to talk about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-think-there-s-some-stuff-that-s-at-least-photographically/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [“It would be very interesting to preserve photographically not the stages, but the metamorphoses of a picture. Possibly one might then discover the path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/it-would-be-very-interesting-to-preserve-photographically-not-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [The photographer's most important and likewise most difficult task is not learning to manage his camera, or to develop, or to print. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-weston/the-photographer-s-most-important-and-likewise-most-difficult-task-is/) [Edward Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-weston/) > [The emphasis in doing any in-depth photography is on building relationships, quality relationships. It's what I call thirty-cups-of-coffee-a-frame photography. You need to enter into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-johnston/the-emphasis-in-doing-any-in-depth-photography-is-on-building/) [Lynn Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-johnston/) > [Photography is an adventure just as life is an adventure. If man wishes to express himself photographically, he must understand, surely to a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-callahan/photography-is-an-adventure-just-as-life-is-an-adventure-if-man/) [Harry Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-callahan/) > [I look at a photograph. What's going on? What's happening, photographically? If it's interesting, I try to understand why.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-look-at-a-photograph-what-s-going-on-what-s-happening/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [A lot of my friends were mostly working in black-and-white-people like Lee Friedlander, Diane Arbus, Garry Winogrand, and others. We would exchange prints with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-eggleston/a-lot-of-my-friends-were-mostly-working-in-black-and-white-people/) [William Eggleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-eggleston/) > [I shall carry to the Catacombs of Age, Photographically lined On the tablet of my mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-s-gilbert/i-shall-carry-to-the-catacombs-of-age-photographically-lined-on-the/) [W. S. Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-s-gilbert/) > [Photography in our time leaves us with a grave responsibility. While we are playing in our studios with broken flowerpots, oranges, nude studies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brassai/photography-in-our-time-leaves-us-with-a-grave-responsibility-while/) [Brassai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brassai/) ## More by Ben Shahn > [I became interested in photography when I was sharing a studio with Walker Evans, and found my own sketching was inadequate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/i-became-interested-in-photography-when-i-was-sharing-a-studio-with/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [It is an intimately communicative affair between the painter and his painting, a conversation back and forth, the painting telling the painter even as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/it-is-an-intimately-communicative-affair-between-the-painter-and-his/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [An amateur is someone who supports himself with outside jobs which enable him to paint. A professional is someone whose wife works to enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/an-amateur-is-someone-who-supports-himself-with-outside-jobs-which/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [Art almost always has its ingredient of impudence, its flouting of established authority, so that it may substitute its own authority and its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/art-almost-always-has-its-ingredient-of-impudence-its-flouting-of/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [The artist is likely to be looked upon with some uneasiness by the more conservative members of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/the-artist-is-likely-to-be-looked-upon-with-some-uneasiness-by-the/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [Only an individual can imagine, invent, or create. The whole audience of art is an audience of individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/only-an-individual-can-imagine-invent-or-create-the-whole-audience-of/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [To abstract is to draw out the essence of a matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/to-abstract-is-to-draw-out-the-essence-of-a-matter/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [The natural reaction of the artist will be strongly towards bringing man back into focus as the center of importance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/the-natural-reaction-of-the-artist-will-be-strongly-towards-bringing/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [Each artist comes to the painting or sculpture because there he can be told that he, the individual, transcends all classes and flouts all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/each-artist-comes-to-the-painting-or-sculpture-because-there-he-can/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [All art is based on non-conformity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/all-art-is-based-on-non-conformity/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [I remember traveling around in Arkansas with Senator Robinson, and I told him what this little trick was. He felt very much part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/i-remember-traveling-around-in-arkansas-with-senator-robinson-and-i/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [I became interested in photography when I found my own sketching was inadequate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/i-became-interested-in-photography-when-i-found-my-own-sketching-was/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [We tried to present the ordinary in an extraordinary manner. But that's the paradox because the only thing extraordinary about it was that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/we-tried-to-present-the-ordinary-in-an-extraordinary-manner-but-that/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [Being an artist is not only what you do, but how you live your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/being-an-artist-is-not-only-what-you-do-but-how-you-live-your-life/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) > [The values that reside in art are anarchic, they are every man's loves and hates and his momentary divine revelation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/the-values-that-reside-in-art-are-anarchic-they-are-every-man-s-loves/) [Ben Shahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) [Explore all 63 Ben Shahn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was primarily interested in people, and people in action, so that I did nothing photographically in the sense of doing buildings for their own sake or a still life or anything like that.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Shahn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and-people-in-action-so-that-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and-people-in-action-so-that-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/ben-shahn-10836_action_i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and_723078.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/ben-shahn-10836_action_i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and_723078.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/ben-shahn-10836_action_i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and_723078.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was primarily interested in people, and people in action, so that I did nothing photographically in the…” — Ben Shahn", "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": "Ben Shahn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shahn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was primarily interested in people,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and-people-in-action-so-that-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shahn/i-was-primarily-interested-in-people-and-people-in-action-so-that-i/#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 } } ] } ```