--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you think you're going to create an…" description: "\"If you think you're going to create an unposed photograph, think again. There is no such thing.\" — Errol Morris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/errol-morris-2512_again_if-you-think-you-re-going-to-create-an-u_2503399.jpg" --- # If you think you're going to create an unposed photograph… ![“If you think you're going to create an unposed photograph, think again. There is no such thing.” quote by Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/errol-morris-2512_again_if-you-think-you-re-going-to-create-an-u_2503399.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/errol-morris-2512_again_if-you-think-you-re-going-to-create-an-u_2503399.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/451/errol-morris-2512_again_if-you-think-you-re-going-to-create-an-u_2503399.jpg) > “If you think you're going to create an unposed photograph, think again. There is no such thing.” [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The notion of a completely unmediated, objective photograph is a myth; all images are shaped by choices and context. **In simple terms:** Photos are never truly neutral. Key Takeaway Recognize and question the biases in visual media. Themes perception truth media photography Mood critical inquisitive Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - journalism - social media - advertising - art criticism Key Concepts visual epistemology subjectivity construction Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess the credibility of an image? - What choices influence what a photograph shows? A Different Perspective Even staged images can convey authentic emotions, blurring fact and fiction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [Everything I choose to photograph, I think is beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juergen-teller/everything-i-choose-to-photograph-i-think-is-beautiful/) [Juergen Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juergen-teller/) > [There's no particular class of photograph that I think is any better than any other class. I'm always and forever looking for the image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/there-s-no-particular-class-of-photograph-that-i-think-is-any-better/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [When I photograph, I do not think much. If you looked at my contacts you would ask yourself: "What is this guy doing?" But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-koudelka/when-i-photograph-i-do-not-think-much-if-you-looked-at-my-contacts/) [Josef Koudelka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-koudelka/) > [When I'm ready to make a photograph, I think I quite obviously see in my minds eye something that is not literally there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/when-i-m-ready-to-make-a-photograph-i-think-i-quite-obviously-see-in/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [I always felt that when I was photographing, I had a psychic need to see this, to photograph this. And I think if somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-clark/i-always-felt-that-when-i-was-photographing-i-had-a-psychic-need-to/) [Larry Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-clark/) > [“I remembered a time we were going through magazines. There was this one model who looked icy to the touch, in total control. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-remembered-a-time-we-were-going-through-magazines-there-was-this/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [I'm very moved by the fact that people are drawn into the pictures and that they do bring their own history and their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-crewdson/i-m-very-moved-by-the-fact-that-people-are-drawn-into-the-pictures/) [Gregory Crewdson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-crewdson/) > [If you look at a photograph, and you think, 'My isn't that a beautiful photograph,' and you go on to the next one, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/if-you-look-at-a-photograph-and-you-think-my-isn-t-that-a-beautiful/) [Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/) > [ It's like a magic well. You think you know everything about \[a\] photograph, you think you've gotten everything out of it, and all of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-close/it-s-like-a-magic-well-you-think-you-know-everything-about-a/) [Chuck Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-close/) > [There is something about the photographs that is endlessly disturbing. The fact that we like to think of them as torture actually hides what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/there-is-something-about-the-photographs-that-is-endlessly-disturbing/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can talk about a caption underneath a photograph being true or false, because there is a linguistic element. You can claim that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-talk-about-a-caption-underneath-a-photograph-being-true-or/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I started shooting for 'Photograph' right after 'Dangal' so, it's really special for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanya-malhotra/i-started-shooting-for-photograph-right-after-dangal-so-it-s-really/) [Sanya Malhotra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanya-malhotra/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I have a way to photograph. You work with space, you have a camera, you have a frame, and then a fraction of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastiao-salgado/i-have-a-way-to-photograph-you-work-with-space-you-have-a-camera-you/) [Sebastiao Salgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastiao-salgado/) > [Anybody can direct a picture once they know the fundamentals. Directing is not a mystery, it's not an art. The main thing about directing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ford/anybody-can-direct-a-picture-once-they-know-the-fundamentals/) [John Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ford/) ## More by Errol Morris > [God is greater than anything that man can do or has done. He is not undone by just a train of powder. "Our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/god-is-greater-than-anything-that-man-can-do-or-has-done-he-is-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [In the case of The Thin Blue Line, I was surprised actually by many things. I was shooting down in Texas where the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/in-the-case-of-the-thin-blue-line-i-was-surprised-actually-by-many/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [When 'The Thin Blue Line' came out, I was criticized by many people for using reenactments, as if I wasn't dedicated to the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/when-the-thin-blue-line-came-out-i-was-criticized-by-many-people-for/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [There is such a thing as truth, but we have a vested interest in not seeing it, in avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/there-is-such-a-thing-as-truth-but-we-have-a-vested-interest-in-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Simply coming to the perpetrator and delivering the message is Nozick's definition of revenge. And in that sense, Adi is exacting revenge. When people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/simply-coming-to-the-perpetrator-and-delivering-the-message-is-nozick/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The proper route to an understanding of the world is an examination of our errors about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-proper-route-to-an-understanding-of-the-world-is-an-examination/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The chance that any given sentence is a lie, rather than a truth, I think, is fairly great. An intentional lie, a self-deception, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-chance-that-any-given-sentence-is-a-lie-rather-than-a-truth-i/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [ Maybe \[killers\] is one of my real passions. Why deny it? ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/maybe-killers-is-one-of-my-real-passions-why-deny-it/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [I envy certain writers, because there are writers who do go into a kind of different zone, where the writing isn't controlled anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/i-envy-certain-writers-because-there-are-writers-who-do-go-into-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Right now, we live in bad times in this country, and the fact that there are filmmakers addressing political and social issues is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/right-now-we-live-in-bad-times-in-this-country-and-the-fact-that/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can talk about a caption underneath a photograph being true or false, because there is a linguistic element. You can claim that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-talk-about-a-caption-underneath-a-photograph-being-true-or/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [The fact that the world is utterly insane makes it tolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/the-fact-that-the-world-is-utterly-insane-makes-it-tolerable/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Appearing on the front page of the New York Times even given the state of papers today is still something that's seen by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/appearing-on-the-front-page-of-the-new-york-times-even-given-the/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [You can't tell by looking at a film-clip whether it is a drama or a documentary without knowing how it was produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/you-can-t-tell-by-looking-at-a-film-clip-whether-it-is-a-drama-or-a/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [Tell me what's wrong with this idea: If you're selling to somebody, find someone like that person to sell to them. If you're trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/tell-me-what-s-wrong-with-this-idea-if-you-re-selling-to-somebody/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) [Explore all 163 Errol Morris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) ## More Again quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [I've always been interested in photographs, collecting them not systematically but randomly. They get lost, then turn up again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-g-sebald/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-photographs-collecting-them-not/) [W. G. Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald/) > [I say this about everything: when I was on 'Neighbours,' I said, 'These are the best years of my life!' When I was filming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/i-say-this-about-everything-when-i-was-on-neighbours-i-said-these-are/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. You'll be sitting there not wishing to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-don-t-think-you-should-ever-say-this-is-the-last-time-music-isn-t/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [I don't know about writing. It's quite lonely. You have to have a lot of patience with yourself. I don't know if I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-wilson/i-don-t-know-about-writing-it-s-quite-lonely-you-have-to-have-a-lot/) [Ruth Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-wilson/) > [Inspiration comes from so many sources. Music, other fiction, the non-fiction I read, TV shows, films, news reports, people I know, stories I hear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/inspiration-comes-from-so-many-sources-music-other-fiction-the-non/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [You couldn't get me to go travel around and sit in a hotel room again. I have no interest in doing that. So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [In theater, one of the biggest problems when you're rehearsing comedy over and over again is that you stop laughing at each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-ashley-carter/in-theater-one-of-the-biggest-problems-when-you-re-rehearsing-comedy/) [Lauren Ashley Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-ashley-carter/) > [I'd like to do some female roles again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cameron-mitchell/i-d-like-to-do-some-female-roles-again/) [John Cameron Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cameron-mitchell/) > [Death is a sniper. It strikes people you love, people you like, people you know - it's everywhere. You could be next. But then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/death-is-a-sniper-it-strikes-people-you-love-people-you-like-people/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [Well, a lot of our concerts do okay, and I know we still get royalty checks which still isn't that important, but again, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-johnston/well-a-lot-of-our-concerts-do-okay-and-i-know-we-still-get-royalty/) [Bruce Johnston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-johnston/) > [Oh wow, you know what's wrong with all these families on TV? All these kids say stuff no kid would say. 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