--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I didn't decide to be a photographer; I…" description: "\"I didn't decide to be a photographer; I just happened to fall into it.\" — Berenice Abbott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/berenice-abbott-14021_fall_i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-j_2332706.png" --- # I didn't decide to be a photographer; I just happened to… ![“I didn't decide to be a photographer; I just happened to fall into it.” quote by Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/berenice-abbott-14021_fall_i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-j_2332706.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/berenice-abbott-14021_fall_i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-j_2332706.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/berenice-abbott-14021_fall_i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-j_2332706.png) > “I didn't decide to be a photographer; I just happened to fall into it.” [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She never chose photography; it happened naturally, suggesting destiny over deliberate choice. **In simple terms:** Photography found her, not chosen. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected paths. Themes fate career creativity Mood contemplative inspirational Type creative biographical When to use this quote - career changes - artistic pursuits - life decisions - education Key Concepts visual arts career development serendipity Questions to Reflect On - What unexpected opportunities have shaped you? - Do you resist or welcome unplanned directions? A Different Perspective Not all passions are intentional. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Didn Decide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-decide-1050998/) [Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) [Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened/) [Happened Fall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happened-fall-1906824/) [Just Happened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-happened/) [Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer/) [Photographer Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer-just-2999922/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [I really didnt intend to become an author, but I just happened to fall into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-really-didnt-intend-to-become-an-author-but-i-just-happened-to-fall/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Dear Superwoman, You are not a failure. You just happened to fall. You can still rise like never before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/dear-superwoman-you-are-not-a-failure-you-just-happened-to-fall-you/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [“Maybe the world was like a revolving door, it occurred to him as his consciousness was fading away. And which section you ended up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/maybe-the-world-was-like-a-revolving-door-it-occurred-to-him-as-his-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“It's fall coming, I kept thinking, fall coming; just like that was the strangest thing ever happened. Fall. Right outside here it was spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/it-s-fall-coming-i-kept-thinking-fall-coming-just-like-that-was-the/) [Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/) > [Don't think you're a pro photographer just because you use the lazy services of Instagram.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-think-you-re-a-pro-photographer-just-because-you-use-the-lazy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I liked the idea of being a photographer, just that you take this one picture of this one thing that'll never happen again -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-barnett/i-liked-the-idea-of-being-a-photographer-just-that-you-take-this-one/) [Courtney Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-barnett/) > [I'm not a good photographer. I just capture the highlights of our rotten world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/i-m-not-a-good-photographer-i-just-capture-the-highlights-of-our/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I'd very much like to create my own style as a photographer, even if it's just for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graeme-le-saux/i-d-very-much-like-to-create-my-own-style-as-a-photographer-even-if/) [Graeme Le Saux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graeme-le-saux/) > [Hey it's your world mr photographer I'm just trying to live in it. -Phil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duck-dynasty/hey-it-s-your-world-mr-photographer-i-m-just-trying-to-live-in-it-phil/) [Duck Dynasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duck-dynasty/) > [You're not a photographer. You just have an overpriced camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-not-a-photographer-you-just-have-an-overpriced-camera/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It therefore should be possible for even the photographer - just as for the creative poet or painter - to use the object as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-john-laughlin/it-therefore-should-be-possible-for-even-the-photographer-just-as-for/) [Clarence John Laughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-john-laughlin/) > [“Why didn’t I decide to drink a glass of juice? The thought never occurred to me. Am I free to do that which does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/why-didn-t-i-decide-to-drink-a-glass-of-juice-the-thought-never/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [I didn't decide to be a character actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-kane/i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-character-actress/) [Carol Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-kane/) > [I didn't decide to become a musician until the age of 15, which is quite late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/i-didn-t-decide-to-become-a-musician-until-the-age-of-15-which-is/) [Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/) > [I didn't decide that I want to be an actor because my plan was to pursue dance as a career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-mohan/i-didn-t-decide-that-i-want-to-be-an-actor-because-my-plan-was-to/) [Shakti Mohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-mohan/) ## More by Berenice Abbott > [The camera is no more an instrument of preservation, the image is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/the-camera-is-no-more-an-instrument-of-preservation-the-image-is/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [The challenge for me has first been to see things as they are, whether a portrait, a city street, or a bouncing ball. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/the-challenge-for-me-has-first-been-to-see-things-as-they-are-whether/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [To chart a course, one must have a direction. In reality, the eye is no better than the philosophy behind it. The photographer creates,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/to-chart-a-course-one-must-have-a-direction-in-reality-the-eye-is-no/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [Self-conscious artiness is fatal, but it certainly would not hurt to study composition in general. Having a basic understanding of composition would help construct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/self-conscious-artiness-is-fatal-but-it-certainly-would-not-hurt-to/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [To chart a course, one must have a direction. In reality, the eye is no better than the philosophy behind it. The photographer creates,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/to-chart-a-course-one-must-have-a-direction-in-reality-the-eye-is-no-2/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [None. They should just go out and photograph and stop talking about it. That's the only way they are going to find themselves. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/none-they-should-just-go-out-and-photograph-and-stop-talking-about-it/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [What the human eye observes casually and incuriously, the eye of the camera... notes with relentless fidelity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/what-the-human-eye-observes-casually-and-incuriously-the-eye-of-the/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [There are many teachers who could ruin you. Before you know it you could be a pale copy of this teacher or that teacher.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/there-are-many-teachers-who-could-ruin-you-before-you-know-it-you/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [Abstraction in photography is ridiculous, and is only an imitation of painting. We stopped imitating painters a hundred years ago, so to imitate them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/abstraction-in-photography-is-ridiculous-and-is-only-an-imitation-of/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [I have yet to see a fine photograph which is not a good document.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-have-yet-to-see-a-fine-photograph-which-is-not-a-good-document/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [Like every other means of expression, photography, if it is to be utterly honest and direct, should be related to the life of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/like-every-other-means-of-expression-photography-if-it-is-to-be/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [I wanted to combine science and photography in a sensible, unemotional way. Some people’s ideas of scientific photography is just arty design, something pretty.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-wanted-to-combine-science-and-photography-in-a-sensible-unemotional/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [Photography can only represent the present. Once photographed, the subject becomes part of the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/photography-can-only-represent-the-present-once-photographed-the/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [What the human eye observes casually and incuriously, the eye of the camera (the lens) notes with relentless fidelity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/what-the-human-eye-observes-casually-and-incuriously-the-eye-of-the-2/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [Let us first say what photography is not. A photograph is not a painting, a poem, a symphony, a dance. It is not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/let-us-first-say-what-photography-is-not-a-photograph-is-not-a/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) [Explore all 48 Berenice Abbott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) ## More Fall quotes > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [“When you jump, all you're going to do is fall. But leaping? Leaping is when you think there's something on the other side.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-jump-all-you-re-going-to-do-is-fall-but-leaping-leaping-is/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [To hurry through the rise and fall of a fine, full sentence is like defying the role of time in human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-clark/to-hurry-through-the-rise-and-fall-of-a-fine-full-sentence-is-like/) [Kenneth Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-clark/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“We will all, at some point in our lives, fall. Every single one of us. We shouldn't spend our time trying to avoid falling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/we-will-all-at-some-point-in-our-lives-fall-every-single-one-of-us-we/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [We were so poor as kids. I didn't even see a bathtub, running water, hot water, commode - we didn't have any of that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-robertson/we-were-so-poor-as-kids-i-didn-t-even-see-a-bathtub-running-water-hot/) [Phil Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-robertson/) > [How wonderful it would be to scatter words as they rise to consciousness, to let them lie where they fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-scott/how-wonderful-it-would-be-to-scatter-words-as-they-rise-to/) [Joanna Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-scott/) > [My life is a crystal teardrop. There are snowflakes falling in the teardrop and little figures trudging in slow motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-baez/my-life-is-a-crystal-teardrop-there-are-snowflakes-falling-in-the/) [Joan Baez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-baez/) > [Life will knock you down & it's tough, but you are strong enough. Get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-will-knock-you-down-it-s-tough-but-you-are-strong-enough-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was 13, I began relaxing my hair, and that meant when I turned 18 it began to crack and fall off, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/when-i-was-13-i-began-relaxing-my-hair-and-that-meant-when-i-turned/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [“If you ever falling but can't see the bottom be glad you can't because at the bottom it's either a soft land or rocks!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelseigh-ashton/if-you-ever-falling-but-can-t-see-the-bottom-be-glad-you-can-t/) [Kelseigh Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelseigh-ashton/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) [Browse all 13,401 Fall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fall/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I didn't decide to be a photographer; I just happened to fall into it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Berenice Abbott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-just-happened-to-fall-into-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fall" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-just-happened-to-fall-into-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/berenice-abbott-14021_fall_i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-j_2332706.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/berenice-abbott-14021_fall_i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-j_2332706.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b70/berenice-abbott-14021_fall_i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-j_2332706.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I didn't decide to be a photographer; I just happened to fall into it.” — Berenice Abbott", "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": "Berenice Abbott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I didn't decide to be a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-just-happened-to-fall-into-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/i-didn-t-decide-to-be-a-photographer-i-just-happened-to-fall-into-it/#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 } } ] } ```