--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You learn to see by practice. It's Just…" description: "\"You learn to see by practice. It's Just like playing tennis, you get better the more you play. The more you look around at things, the more you see. Th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/eliot-porter-39285_get-better_you-learn-to-see-by-practice-it-s-just-l_1953087.png" --- # You learn to see by practice. It's Just like playing… ![“You learn to see by practice. It's Just like playing tennis, you get better the more you play. The more you look around at things, the more you see. The more you photograph, the more you realize what can be photographed and what can't be photographed. You just have to keep doing it.” quote by Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/eliot-porter-39285_get-better_you-learn-to-see-by-practice-it-s-just-l_1953087.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/eliot-porter-39285_get-better_you-learn-to-see-by-practice-it-s-just-l_1953087.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/594/eliot-porter-39285_get-better_you-learn-to-see-by-practice-it-s-just-l_1953087.png) > “You learn to see by practice. It's Just like playing tennis, you get better the more you play. The more you look around at things, the more you see. The more you photograph, the more you realize what can be photographed and what can't be photographed. You just have to keep doing it.” [Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-porter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Skill improves with repeated practice; observation sharpens through active engagement. **In simple terms:** Practice and observation improve ability. Key Takeaway Practice regularly and observe attentively. Themes learning practice observation skill development Mood inquisitive encouraging Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - photography - sports training - scientific research - everyday problem solving Key Concepts deliberate practice visual literacy mindful seeing Questions to Reflect On - How does deliberate practice differ from mindless repetition? - What habits help you notice details? A Different Perspective Without reflection, practice may become rote and unproductive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Tennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tennis/) ## Related quotes > [The more you photograph, the more you realize what can and what can't be photographed. 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You begin to see things you had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-leiter/i-think-i-ve-said-this-before-many-times-that-photography-allows-you/) [Saul Leiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-leiter/) > [I have asked students at the beginning of their careers, what things of that sort might haunt them – what things they must photograph,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/i-have-asked-students-at-the-beginning-of-their-careers-what-things/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) > [I believe that we learn by practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/i-believe-that-we-learn-by-practice/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [It seemed clear to me early on that one of the things a photograph could do was make a reality, and I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justine-kurland/it-seemed-clear-to-me-early-on-that-one-of-the-things-a-photograph/) [Justine Kurland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justine-kurland/) > [What you live with, you learn; What you learn, you practice; What you practice, you become; What you become, has consequences!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/what-you-live-with-you-learn-what-you-learn-you-practice-what-you/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Learn by practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-graham/learn-by-practice/) [Martha Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-graham/) > [People assumed we called the record 'Murray Street' because of its proximity to the World Trade Centre, but that wasn't it at all. Before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-ranaldo/people-assumed-we-called-the-record-murray-street-because-of-its/) [Lee Ranaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-ranaldo/) > [The things that are close to you are the things you can photograph the best,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-mann/the-things-that-are-close-to-you-are-the-things-you-can-photograph/) [Sally Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-mann/) > [“Learn, Practice, Execute (Repeat)!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pep-talk-radio/learn-practice-execute-repeat/) Pep Talk Radio > [ \[Cameras\] tend to turn people into things and the photograph extends and multiplies the human image to the proportions of mass-produced merchandise and, \[in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-mcluhan/cameras-tend-to-turn-people-into-things-and-the-photograph-extends/) [Marshall McLuhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-mcluhan/) > [There are things I photograph because I'm interested in those things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/there-are-things-i-photograph-because-i-m-interested-in-those-things/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [I like people for their weaknesses and faults. I get on well with ordinary people. We talk. We start with the weather, and little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-doisneau/i-like-people-for-their-weaknesses-and-faults-i-get-on-well-with/) [Robert Doisneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-doisneau/) ## More by Eliot Porter > [Sometimes you can tell a large story with a tiny subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-porter/sometimes-you-can-tell-a-large-story-with-a-tiny-subject/) [Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-porter/) > [Much is missed if we have eyes only for the bright colors. Nature should be viewed without distinction... She makes no choice herself; everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-porter/much-is-missed-if-we-have-eyes-only-for-the-bright-colors-nature/) [Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-porter/) > [Every photograph that is made whether by one who considers himself a professional, or by the tourist who points his snapshot camera and pushes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-porter/every-photograph-that-is-made-whether-by-one-who-considers-himself-a/) [Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-porter/) > [I do not photograph for ulterior purposes. I photograph for the thing itself - for the photograph - without consideration of how it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-porter/i-do-not-photograph-for-ulterior-purposes-i-photograph-for-the-thing/) [Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-porter/) > [The more you photograph, the more you realize what can and what can't be photographed. You just have to keep doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-porter/the-more-you-photograph-the-more-you-realize-what-can-and-what-can-t/) [Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-porter/) > [Photography is a strong tool, a propaganda device, and a weapon for the defense of the environment...and therefore for the fostering of a healthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-porter/photography-is-a-strong-tool-a-propaganda-device-and-a-weapon-for-the/) [Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-porter/) > [I don't think it's necessary to put your feelings about photography in words. I've read things that photographers have written for exhibitions and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliot-porter/i-don-t-think-it-s-necessary-to-put-your-feelings-about-photography/) [Eliot Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliot-porter/) > [But before all else a work of art is the creation of love. Love for the subject first and for the medium second. 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Many people get better concentration by writing than by chanting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/it-is-a-good-practice-to-write-at-least-on-page-of-mantra-daily-many/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Fans, you guys are awesome. I could not have made it through this whirlwind of a year without your support and I really hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-stroup/fans-you-guys-are-awesome-i-could-not-have-made-it-through-this/) [Jessica Stroup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-stroup/) > [Or I could see Fish, Just a button up, Like a Mayor, Like a President, Just demands so much from his teammates, Has played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-durant/or-i-could-see-fish-just-a-button-up-like-a-mayor-like-a-president/) [Kevin Durant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-durant/) > [Life is getting better, but that won't stop a war if politicians and business people decide it's to their advantage to have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/life-is-getting-better-but-that-won-t-stop-a-war-if-politicians-and/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [There's always a race against time. I don't think for one moment that life gets better. How can it? One's body starts to fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-grahame/there-s-always-a-race-against-time-i-don-t-think-for-one-moment-that/) [Gloria Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-grahame/) > [Once you become complacent and once you're happy with your performance or whatever it is, I don't think you'll get better as quickly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/once-you-become-complacent-and-once-you-re-happy-with-your/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) > [I couldn’t live with myself if I thought nothing could get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-whelan/i-couldn-t-live-with-myself-if-i-thought-nothing-could-get-better/) [Gloria Whelan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-whelan/) > [Always strive to get better and stay in gratitude because that multiplies everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-hall/always-strive-to-get-better-and-stay-in-gratitude-because-that/) [Andrea Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-hall/) > [Perhaps we have failed as human beings. Perhaps we have embarrassed ourselves to the natural world. We have been rigorous and willful in all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/perhaps-we-have-failed-as-human-beings-perhaps-we-have-embarrassed/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [Peter Cooper looks at the world with an artist's eye and a human heart and soul. His songs are the work of an original,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-kristofferson/peter-cooper-looks-at-the-world-with-an-artist-s-eye-and-a-human/) [Kris Kristofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-kristofferson/) > [I think you get better as you get older.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-jewison/i-think-you-get-better-as-you-get-older/) [Norman Jewison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-jewison/) > [Tomorrow could not get better if one failed to survive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-friedman/tomorrow-could-not-get-better-if-one-failed-to-survive-today/) [C.S. Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-friedman/) Browse all 1,208 Get better quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You learn to see by practice. It's Just like playing tennis, you get better the more you play. The more you look around at things, the more you see. The more you photograph, the more you realize what can be photographed and what can't be photographed. 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