--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never think of photographs as being…" description: "\"I never think of photographs as being individual. Always as a group.\" — Martin Parr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/martin-parr-4726_groups_i-never-think-of-photographs-as-being-in_2090898.png" --- # I never think of photographs as being individual. Always… ![“I never think of photographs as being individual. Always as a group.” quote by Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/martin-parr-4726_groups_i-never-think-of-photographs-as-being-in_2090898.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/martin-parr-4726_groups_i-never-think-of-photographs-as-being-in_2090898.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/martin-parr-4726_groups_i-never-think-of-photographs-as-being-in_2090898.png) > “I never think of photographs as being individual. Always as a group.” [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Photos are seen as collective narratives, not isolated moments. **In simple terms:** Images convey group stories over individual frames. Key Takeaway Interpret photos as social commentaries. Themes photography collectivity culture visual storytelling Mood analytical observational Type critical documentary When to use this quote - museum curation - media analysis Key Concepts social observation art theory Questions to Reflect On - What does a collective image say about society? - How can individual voices be heard within a group? A Different Perspective Focusing on groups may erase personal identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Photographs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographs/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think about photographs as being full, or empty. You picture something in a frame and it's got lots of accounting going on in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-meyerowitz/i-think-about-photographs-as-being-full-or-empty-you-picture/) [Joel Meyerowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-meyerowitz/) > [“I can’t defend this position, but I think I take photographs because there are things that nobody would see unless I photographed them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-bosworth/i-can-t-defend-this-position-but-i-think-i-take-photographs-because/) [Patricia Bosworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-bosworth/) > [I think of my photographs as being obviously symbolic, but not symbolically obvious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-uelsmann/i-think-of-my-photographs-as-being-obviously-symbolic-but-not/) [Jerry Uelsmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-uelsmann/) > [ I think of \[my photographs\] as found paintings because I don't crop them, I don't manipulate them or anything. So they're like found objects… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-hopper/i-think-of-my-photographs-as-found-paintings-because-i-don-t-crop/) [Dennis Hopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-hopper/) > [I think all photographs lie. They capture such a small amount of a person's personality, if they capture anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schoeller/i-think-all-photographs-lie-they-capture-such-a-small-amount-of-a/) Martin Schoeller > [Most of the photographs people take with their cameraphones are of little value in terms of documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/most-of-the-photographs-people-take-with-their-cameraphones-are-of/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [Just as the individual is not alone in the group, nor anyone in society alone among the others, so man is not alone in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-levi-strauss/just-as-the-individual-is-not-alone-in-the-group-nor-anyone-in/) [Claude Levi-Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-levi-strauss/) > [The individual or the group which organizes any society, however social its intentions or pretensions, arrogates an inordinate portion of social privilege to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-individual-or-the-group-which-organizes-any-society-however/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [Just as the individual is not alone in the group, nor any one in society alone among the others, so man is not alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-levi-strauss/just-as-the-individual-is-not-alone-in-the-group-nor-any-one-in/) [Claude Levi-Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-levi-strauss/) > [“We are where we are as an individual, group, or nation because we often make short-time plan in expectation of long time benefit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anikor-daniel/we-are-where-we-are-as-an-individual-group-or-nation-because-we-often/) [ANIKOR Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anikor-daniel/) > [I am not a representative of anything. When art historians or critics or the public put somebody in a drawer like this, it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-baselitz/i-am-not-a-representative-of-anything-when-art-historians-or-critics/) [Georg Baselitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-baselitz/) > [“Sometimes I think you take photographs instead of seeing, you forget to look in your eagerness to grasp what is seen, to capture it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-christian-gr-ndahl/sometimes-i-think-you-take-photographs-instead-of-seeing-you-forget/) [Jens Christian Grøndahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-christian-gr-ndahl/) > [Think photographs should be provocative and not tell you what you already know. It takes no great powers or magic to reproduce somebody's face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-michals/think-photographs-should-be-provocative-and-not-tell-you-what-you/) [Duane Michals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-michals/) > [I think of many of my photographs as being obviously symbolic but not symbolically obvious. There isn't any specific correlation between the symbols in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-uelsmann/i-think-of-many-of-my-photographs-as-being-obviously-symbolic-but-not/) [Jerry Uelsmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-uelsmann/) > [Photographs are interpretations of reality; as such, it is entirely subjective. Most photos are taken with an agenda, to sell something or to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/photographs-are-interpretations-of-reality-as-such-it-is-entirely/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) ## More by Martin Parr > [Taking photos is a form of collecting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/taking-photos-is-a-form-of-collecting/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [Most of the photographs people take with their cameraphones are of little value in terms of documentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/most-of-the-photographs-people-take-with-their-cameraphones-are-of/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [I looked around at what my colleagues were doing, and asked myself, 'What relationship has it with what's going on?' I found there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/i-looked-around-at-what-my-colleagues-were-doing-and-asked-myself/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [When I am in London, all I do is mix with other people in the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/when-i-am-in-london-all-i-do-is-mix-with-other-people-in-the-arts/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [Fashion pictures show people looking glamorous. Travel pictures show a place looking at its best, nothing to do with the reality. 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It's the greatest taboo subject of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/photographers-never-want-to-talk-about-the-fact-that-they-may-well-be/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [I am a big fan of Jim Jarmusch, and I do love big screen documentaries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/i-am-a-big-fan-of-jim-jarmusch-and-i-do-love-big-screen-documentaries/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) [Explore all 107 Martin Parr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) ## More Groups quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [Right now we're concerned about budget. Right now we're concerned about the prospect of interest rate rise. 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They represent that race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-mcduffie/if-you-do-a-black-character-or-a-female-character-or-an-asian/) [Dwayne McDuffie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-mcduffie/) > [I have a really grounded group of friends, and they like me no matter what. I think it's really important to know who your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-guthy/i-have-a-really-grounded-group-of-friends-and-they-like-me-no-matter/) [Jackson Guthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-guthy/) > [You can't have a movie with a group of people that are significant players in the story, that push forward the plot, without introducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/you-can-t-have-a-movie-with-a-group-of-people-that-are-significant/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [ \[U\]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shulamith-firestone/u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together-and-on-alliances-of-self/) [Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shulamith-firestone/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) Richard Doll > [If you chose a particular religion, you were siding with the government religion of whatever region you were in. 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