--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't see anybody as either ordinary or…" description: "\"I don't see anybody as either ordinary or extraordinary. I see them simply as people in front of my lens.\" — Eve Arnold" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/eve-arnold-16752_extraordinary_i-don-t-see-anybody-as-either-ordinary-o_1619058.png" --- # I don't see anybody as either ordinary or extraordinary. I… ![“I don't see anybody as either ordinary or extraordinary. I see them simply as people in front of my lens.” quote by Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/eve-arnold-16752_extraordinary_i-don-t-see-anybody-as-either-ordinary-o_1619058.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/eve-arnold-16752_extraordinary_i-don-t-see-anybody-as-either-ordinary-o_1619058.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/086/eve-arnold-16752_extraordinary_i-don-t-see-anybody-as-either-ordinary-o_1619058.png) > “I don't see anybody as either ordinary or extraordinary. I see them simply as people in front of my lens.” [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The photographer sees people without labeling them as ordinary or extraordinary, focusing on their humanity as subjects. **In simple terms:** People are just people, not categories. Key Takeaway See individuals as they are, without preconceptions. Themes humanity perception equality photography Mood reflective observational Type artistic documentary When to use this quote - portrait sessions - journalistic work - everyday encounters - media representation Key Concepts visual arts social observation humanistic photography Questions to Reflect On - What biases do you bring to seeing others? - How can you practice neutral observation? A Different Perspective Labeling can still influence perception despite intent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anybody Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anybody-ordinary-245225/) [Extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) [Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/front/) [Lenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lenses/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary extraordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-extraordinary/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Lens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-lens-245224/) ## Related quotes > [If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it's already a lot. The instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-the-photographer-is-interested-in-the-people-in-front-of-his-lens/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given. It is the photographer, not the camera, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-a-photographer-cares-about-the-people-before-the-lens-and-is-2/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [No film is made without the people behind the lens. Of course, most people, even I, tend to look at films in the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melvin-van-peebles/no-film-is-made-without-the-people-behind-the-lens-of-course-most/) [Melvin Van Peebles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melvin-van-peebles/) > [We read the world - television, movies, songs, books - and the people in it through the lens of our own lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-talbot/we-read-the-world-television-movies-songs-books-and-the-people-in-it/) [Jill Talbot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-talbot/) > [People see everything through the lens of their obsessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-prose/people-see-everything-through-the-lens-of-their-obsessions/) [Francine Prose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-prose/) > [The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-johnson/the-difference-between-ordinary-and-extraordinary-is-that-little-extra/) [Jimmy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-johnson/) > [When we use this word fun, it sort of bangs up the ordinary and the extraordinary altogether.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bogost/when-we-use-this-word-fun-it-sort-of-bangs-up-the-ordinary-and-the/) [Ian Bogost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bogost/) > [“Why be ordinary when you can be extraordinary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-mason/why-be-ordinary-when-you-can-be-extraordinary/) [Debbie Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-mason/) > [The good life (for your kids) is where you make the ordinary extraordinary, where you make the natural miraculous. It's where you make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmuley-boteach/the-good-life-for-your-kids-is-where-you-make-the-ordinary/) [Shmuley Boteach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shmuley-boteach/) > [“In the middle of all the ordinary--something extraordinary shows up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karianne-wood/in-the-middle-of-all-the-ordinary-something-extraordinary-shows-up/) [KariAnne Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karianne-wood/) > [I love really creative thinking that can make the ordinary extraordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clarke/i-love-really-creative-thinking-that-can-make-the-ordinary/) [George Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clarke/) > [“ordinary when extraordinary things began to happen. The first of these came as a terrible shock and, like anything that changes you forever, split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ransom-riggs/ordinary-when-extraordinary-things-began-to-happen-the-first-of-these/) [Ransom Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ransom-riggs/) > [“A little creativity can make something ordinary, extraordinary, and something extraordinary that much more so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/a-little-creativity-can-make-something-ordinary-extraordinary-and/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [“The Ordinary is Extraordinary ..." my motto for life as a writer/Mom/woman”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-barr/the-ordinary-is-extraordinary-my-motto-for-life-as-a-writer-mom-woman/) [Lisa Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-barr/) > [Drop the idea of being Extraordinary! It's keeping you mediocre. To be Ordinary is the most extraordinary thing in the world. The Ordinary person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/drop-the-idea-of-being-extraordinary-it-s-keeping-you-mediocre-to-be/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) ## More by Eve Arnold > [If the photographer is interested in the people in front of his lens, and if he is compassionate, it's already a lot. The instrument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-the-photographer-is-interested-in-the-people-in-front-of-his-lens/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [I think if I ever get satisfied, I’ll have to stop. It’s the frustration that drives you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/i-think-if-i-ever-get-satisfied-i-ll-have-to-stop-it-s-the/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [The instrument is not the camera but the photographer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/the-instrument-is-not-the-camera-but-the-photographer/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [I came to photography by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/i-came-to-photography-by-accident/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [I never knew anyone who came close to Marilyn in natural ability to use both photographer and still camera. She was special in this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/i-never-knew-anyone-who-came-close-to-marilyn-in-natural-ability-to/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [You can't make a great musician or a great photographer if the magic isn't there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/you-can-t-make-a-great-musician-or-a-great-photographer-if-the-magic/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [Lesson number one: Pay attention to the intrusion of the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/lesson-number-one-pay-attention-to-the-intrusion-of-the-camera/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-a-photographer-cares-about-the-people-before-the-lens-and-is/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [A studio session ... provides the greatest chance for control. Even though there is total freedom, I still dislike studio photography and the contrived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/a-studio-session-provides-the-greatest-chance-for-control-even-though/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [What has changed is that when I photographed, most people that I photographed didn't have the right of refusal on their work. It would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/what-has-changed-is-that-when-i-photographed-most-people-that-i/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [What do you hang on the walls of your mind?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/what-do-you-hang-on-the-walls-of-your-mind/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [Being a woman is just a marvelous plus in photographing. Men like to be photographed by women, it becomes flirtatious and fun, and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/being-a-woman-is-just-a-marvelous-plus-in-photographing-men-like-to/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [If the chemistry is right between star and photographer and the geometry of the pictures pleases the star, often the two people end up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-the-chemistry-is-right-between-star-and-photographer-and-the/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [It's hard for me to assess what I brought because each time you pick up a camera and point it at a person, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/it-s-hard-for-me-to-assess-what-i-brought-because-each-time-you-pick/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) > [If you are careful with people, they will offer you part of themselves. That is the big secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-arnold/if-you-are-careful-with-people-they-will-offer-you-part-of-themselves/) [Eve Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) [Explore all 39 Eve Arnold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-arnold/) ## More Extraordinary quotes > [We released 400,000 classified documents, the most extraordinary history of a war to ever have been released in our civilization. Those documents cover 109,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/we-released-400-000-classified-documents-the-most-extraordinary/) [Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/) > [Perhaps no order of mammals presents us with so extraordinary a series of gradations as this \[step by step, from humans to apes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/perhaps-no-order-of-mammals-presents-us-with-so-extraordinary-a/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Newspapers have an extraordinary amount of local content, including real estate listings and restaurant reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbal-musk/newspapers-have-an-extraordinary-amount-of-local-content-including/) [Kimbal Musk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbal-musk/) > [The contributions being made by Latinos are extraordinary, and we need to talk about them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ailes/the-contributions-being-made-by-latinos-are-extraordinary-and-we-need/) [Roger Ailes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ailes/) > [Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establishment-candidate-but-he-didn-t/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) > [We are very fortunate to be recognized here in such an extraordinary manner for work that we enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-altman/we-are-very-fortunate-to-be-recognized-here-in-such-an-extraordinary/) [Sidney Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-altman/) > [I've always thought that the most extraordinary special effect you could do is to buy a child at the moment of its birth, sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/i-ve-always-thought-that-the-most-extraordinary-special-effect-you/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) [Chaz Brenchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaz-brenchley/) > [In sports teams, apart from talk of sporting prowess and the imparting of inspirational thought, an extraordinary amount of time is spent discussing, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harsha-bhogle/in-sports-teams-apart-from-talk-of-sporting-prowess-and-the-imparting/) [Harsha Bhogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harsha-bhogle/) > [My books are about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-robards/my-books-are-about-ordinary-people-caught-up-in-extraordinary/) [Karen Robards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-robards/) > [If you like I'll be furious flesh elemental, or- changing to tones that the sunset arouses- if you like- I'll be extraordinary gentle, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-mayakovsky/if-you-like-i-ll-be-furious-flesh-elemental-or-changing-to-tones-that/) [Vladimir Mayakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-mayakovsky/) > [It isn't necessary to seek out adventure. Opening to what is around you will produce the most extraordinary experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-b-lewis/it-isn-t-necessary-to-seek-out-adventure-opening-to-what-is-around/) [Edward B. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-b-lewis/) > [Many people, including myself, thought of Jobs as an inventor, an Edison-like figure, but he wasn't. I did a documentary on James Brown recently;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-gibney/many-people-including-myself-thought-of-jobs-as-an-inventor-an-edison/) [Alex Gibney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-gibney/) [Browse all 2,906 Extraordinary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extraordinary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't see anybody as either ordinary or extraordinary. 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