--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At any rate, when I began photographing…" description: "\"At any rate, when I began photographing myself, I could place myself in poses that had not been investigated by other artists. It was an area other art..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/lucas-samaras-42066_areas_at-any-rate-when-i-began-photographing-m_880171.jpg" --- # At any rate, when I began photographing myself, I could… ![“At any rate, when I began photographing myself, I could place myself in poses that had not been investigated by other artists. It was an area other artists hadn't touched. Then, I went on from there. I manipulated my image - distorting it, brutalizing it. People thought I was mad, but I felt I had…” quote by Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/lucas-samaras-42066_areas_at-any-rate-when-i-began-photographing-m_880171.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/lucas-samaras-42066_areas_at-any-rate-when-i-began-photographing-m_880171.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/lucas-samaras-42066_areas_at-any-rate-when-i-began-photographing-m_880171.jpg) > “At any rate, when I began photographing myself, I could place myself in poses that had not been investigated by other artists. It was an area other artists hadn't touched. Then, I went on from there. I manipulated my image - distorting it, brutalizing it. People thought I was mad, but I felt I had to tell these things. It gave me a kind of excitement.” [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He explored uncharted self‑portraiture, creating provocative, distorted images to express inner impulses despite criticism. **In simple terms:** He made bold self‑portraits that no one else had tried. Key Takeaway Embrace unconventional self‑expression. Themes creativity self‑exploration innovation Mood provocative introspective Type artistic experimental When to use this quote - personal art projects - gallery exhibitions - experimental photography - mental health expression Key Concepts Surrealism identity artistic risk Questions to Reflect On - What personal truths do you avoid portraying? - How can distortion reveal hidden emotions? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating audiences or being misunderstood. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Excitement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excitement/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Photographing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographing/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [I began photographing around 14; my mother gave me a camera, it's actually the one I still use for creating most of my work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-madigan-heck/i-began-photographing-around-14-my-mother-gave-me-a-camera-it-s/) Erik Madigan Heck > [We must make every effort to neutralize this threat peacefully, but be ever mindful of the growing danger Iran poses not just to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-reichert/we-must-make-every-effort-to-neutralize-this-threat-peacefully-but-be/) [Dave Reichert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-reichert/) > [I've always thought of modeling as a performance, so I don't mind kind of pretending. I kind of pretend in a lot of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-rocha/i-ve-always-thought-of-modeling-as-a-performance-so-i-don-t-mind-kind/) [Coco Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-rocha/) > [The prescription for endless war poses a far greater danger to Americans than perceived enemies do, for reasons the terrorist organisations understand very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-prescription-for-endless-war-poses-a-far-greater-danger-to/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [My style is very strong poses and expressions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kricfalusi/my-style-is-very-strong-poses-and-expressions/) [John Kricfalusi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kricfalusi/) > [There is no doubt ISIS poses a clear, direct threat to the United States, and decisive action is badly needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-byrne/there-is-no-doubt-isis-poses-a-clear-direct-threat-to-the-united/) Bradley Byrne > [If there is a less likely sight on this earth than Clint Dempsey, the Texas trailer-park kid, doing downward-facing dog poses, or the stalwart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-howard/if-there-is-a-less-likely-sight-on-this-earth-than-clint-dempsey-the/) [Tim Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-howard/) > [We all in the same picture but all got different poses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/we-all-in-the-same-picture-but-all-got-different-poses/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [One of my favorite poses was when working with Steven Meisel. It was one of my first photo shoots with him, and we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-rocha/one-of-my-favorite-poses-was-when-working-with-steven-meisel-it-was/) [Coco Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-rocha/) > [Hitherto the nude has always been represented in poses which presuppose an audience. But my women are simple, honest creatures who are concerned with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-degas/hitherto-the-nude-has-always-been-represented-in-poses-which/) [Edgar Degas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-degas/) > [In all three cases, and for most human beings, the problem of suffering poses no difficult problem at all: one has a world picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kaufmann/in-all-three-cases-and-for-most-human-beings-the-problem-of-suffering/) [Walter Kaufmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kaufmann/) > [I definitely consider 'Poses' - the whole album in fact - to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-definitely-consider-poses-the-whole-album-in-fact-to-be-kind-of-a/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [We in the same picture But we all got different poses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/we-in-the-same-picture-but-we-all-got-different-poses/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Who am I to talk I aint shitting roseswe all in the same picture buut we all got different poses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/who-am-i-to-talk-i-aint-shitting-roseswe-all-in-the-same-picture-buut/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Don't worry. These poses have nothing to do with meditation or enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharma-mittra/don-t-worry-these-poses-have-nothing-to-do-with-meditation-or/) [Dharma Mittra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharma-mittra/) ## More by Lucas Samaras > [The Greek word for box is kouti which also means stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/the-greek-word-for-box-is-kouti-which-also-means-stupid/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) > [You don’t have to say that nature is aware of your existence, that God knows you are here. The camera gives you proof that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/you-don-t-have-to-say-that-nature-is-aware-of-your-existence-that-god/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) > [I am my own investigation territory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/i-am-my-own-investigation-territory/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) > [...I started photographing myself, and found that I could see portions of myself that I had never seen before. Since I face just my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/i-started-photographing-myself-and-found-that-i-could-see-portions-of/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) > [If an artist does not have an erotic involvement with everything that he sees, he may as well give up. To be a human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/if-an-artist-does-not-have-an-erotic-involvement-with-everything-that/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) > [I was my own Peeping Tom. Because of the absence of people I could do anything, and if it wasn't good I could destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/i-was-my-own-peeping-tom-because-of-the-absence-of-people-i-could-do/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) > [I'm looking back at what I did and how it works. In a sense I'm waiting to see how people will respond. I'm waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/i-m-looking-back-at-what-i-did-and-how-it-works-in-a-sense-i-m/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) > [Making art is dealing with people on your own terms. The ideal way of using people is using them like clay, but that being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/making-art-is-dealing-with-people-on-your-own-terms-the-ideal-way-of/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) > [The selfie era offers a big opening: everybody can do it; nowadays even five-year-olds know how to take a nude self-portrait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-samaras/the-selfie-era-offers-a-big-opening-everybody-can-do-it-nowadays-even/) [Lucas Samaras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) [Explore all 10 Lucas Samaras quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-samaras/) ## More Areas quotes > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-that-i-ve-spent-trying-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The earliest language was body language and, since this language is the language of questions, if we limit the questions, and if we only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/the-earliest-language-was-body-language-and-since-this-language-is/) [Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [People don't want to believe that technology is broken. Pharmaceuticals, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology - all these areas where the progress has been a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/people-don-t-want-to-believe-that-technology-is-broken/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [It's absolutely fun to walk around and have people respect you. 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It says all necessary measures to be taken to protect civilians and civilian areas.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-jackson/well-the-u-n-security-council-resolution-1973-is-very-clear-it-says/) [Mike Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-jackson/) > [When in one area of the world the standard of living and the size of the middle class increases, it is going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lagarde/when-in-one-area-of-the-world-the-standard-of-living-and-the-size-of/) [Christine Lagarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lagarde/) Browse all 2,612 Areas quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At any rate, when I began photographing myself, I could place myself in poses that had not been investigated by other artists. It was an area other artists hadn't touched. Then, I went on from there. I manipulated my image - distorting it, brutalizing it. 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