--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Getting photographs is not the most…" description: "\"Getting photographs is not the most important thing. For me it's the act of photographing. It's enlightening, therapeutic and satisfying, because the v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/michael-kenna-14079_able_getting-photographs-is-not-the-most-impo_125488.jpg" --- # Getting photographs is not the most important thing. For… ![“Getting photographs is not the most important thing. For me it's the act of photographing. It's enlightening, therapeutic and satisfying, because the very process forces me to connect with the world. When you make four-hour exposures in the middle of the night, you inevitably slow down and begin…” quote by Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/michael-kenna-14079_able_getting-photographs-is-not-the-most-impo_125488.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/michael-kenna-14079_able_getting-photographs-is-not-the-most-impo_125488.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/michael-kenna-14079_able_getting-photographs-is-not-the-most-impo_125488.jpg) > “Getting photographs is not the most important thing. For me it's the act of photographing. It's enlightening, therapeutic and satisfying, because the very process forces me to connect with the world. When you make four-hour exposures in the middle of the night, you inevitably slow down and begin to observe and appreciate more what's going on around you. In our fast-paced, modern world, it's a luxury to be able to watch the stars move across the sky.” [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Photography is a contemplative act that slows perception, fostering deeper observation and connection with the environment. **In simple terms:** Slow, deliberate photography deepens awareness. Key Takeaway Deliberate practice heightens presence. Themes photography mindfulness observation slow living Mood calm inspired Type artistic reflective When to use this quote - night‑time long exposure shooting - slow‑walk photography walks - documenting seasonal changes over months Key Concepts aesthetic patience sensory immersion Practical Applications - Set a timer for long exposures - Practice a daily 5‑minute observation before shooting Questions to Reflect On - How does slowing down change your creative output? - What non‑photographic activities can you apply this mindfulness to? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Appreciate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appreciate/) [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Enlightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightening/) [Exposure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposure/) [Exposures Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposures-middle-1452718/) [Fast paced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast-paced/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Four](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/four/) [Getting Photographs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-photographs-985085/) [Hour Exposures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hour-exposures-1452717/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Luxury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luxury/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle of the night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-of-the-night/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Modern world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern-world/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Night](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/night/) [Photograph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photograph/) [Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer/) [Photographing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographing/) [Photographing Enlightening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographing-enlightening-1452716/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Satisfying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfying/) [Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sky/) [Slow down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow-down/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Therapeutic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapeutic/) [Watches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watches/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I should be getting photographs of me with my arm around these people like restaurant owners do, because eventually I am going to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hartnett/i-should-be-getting-photographs-of-me-with-my-arm-around-these-people/) [Josh Hartnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hartnett/) > [There is no one way of photographing anything. I don't believe there is even one best way of photographing any given subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/there-is-no-one-way-of-photographing-anything-i-don-t-believe-there/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [The fast paced nature of our technologically-driven world seems to create issues that would appear to be foreign to ancient civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-kim/the-fast-paced-nature-of-our-technologically-driven-world-seems-to/) [David Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-kim/) > [“Mary dashed the rain from her eyes with a frozen hand. Was that a knife buried in the man’s chest with the blood seeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rowland/mary-dashed-the-rain-from-her-eyes-with-a-frozen-hand-was-that-a/) [Susan Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rowland/) > [“Routine had become rhythm. 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Then he was going to kill your father and take over his business empire."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nowaz/he-was-planning-to-take-my-shape-and-marry-you-then-he-was-going-to/) [Max Nowaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nowaz/) > [Because we live in an industrialized, fast-paced world that prefers that the soul remain asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-viola/because-we-live-in-an-industrialized-fast-paced-world-that-prefers/) [Bill Viola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-viola/) > [In a fast-paced world, today's popular brand could be tomorrow's trivia question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-wayne-calloway/in-a-fast-paced-world-today-s-popular-brand-could-be-tomorrow-s/) [D. Wayne Calloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-wayne-calloway/) > [The world isn't fast-paced, it's frenetic. People have to be managers of themselves. Time has been managing itself for 15 billion years; we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-buzan/the-world-isn-t-fast-paced-it-s-frenetic-people-have-to-be-managers/) [Tony Buzan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-buzan/) > [Toronto is actually way more fast-paced than L.A. - I find the fast-paced nature of Toronto a bit obtrusive. In L.A., I love getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-gavaris/toronto-is-actually-way-more-fast-paced-than-l-a-i-find-the-fast/) [Jordan Gavaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-gavaris/) > [“George didn't do quiet or subtle. His big paws kicked up rocks as he stretched into his own version of a freight train.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kaniut-cobb/george-didn-t-do-quiet-or-subtle-his-big-paws-kicked-up-rocks-as-he/) [Lisa Kaniut Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kaniut-cobb/) > [Do not be caught up in materialism, one of the real plagues of our generation-that is, acquiring things, fast-paced living, and securing career success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/do-not-be-caught-up-in-materialism-one-of-the-real-plagues-of-our/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“Thinking about the weather was one way of shutting out of his mind the appalling bloody human mess sprawled out over the bed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ellis/thinking-about-the-weather-was-one-way-of-shutting-out-of-his-mind/) [Mark Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ellis/) > [I'm not a fan of endless mystery in storytelling - I like to know where the mythology's going; I like to get there in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kripke/i-m-not-a-fan-of-endless-mystery-in-storytelling-i-like-to-know-where/) [Eric Kripke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kripke/) ## More by Michael Kenna > [The golden rule in the arts, as far as I am concerned, is that all rules are meant to be broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/the-golden-rule-in-the-arts-as-far-as-i-am-concerned-is-that-all/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [I gravitate towards places where humans have been and are no more, to the edge of man's influence, where the elements are taking over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/i-gravitate-towards-places-where-humans-have-been-and-are-no-more-to/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [In my photographic work I'm generally attracted to places that contain memories, history, atmospheres and stories. I'm interested in the places where people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/in-my-photographic-work-i-m-generally-attracted-to-places-that/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [The photographer Ruth Bernhard used to tell me that this is like asking somebody how they evolved their signature. It is not something I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/the-photographer-ruth-bernhard-used-to-tell-me-that-this-is-like/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [I believe that we photographers don't benefit very much with answers from other photographers. What is more beneficial is to ask questions of ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/i-believe-that-we-photographers-don-t-benefit-very-much-with-answers/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [My advice to any budding artist is never to be satisfied with imitating others. 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There are many places that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/different-assignments-different-places-require-different-approaches/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [I find that when one has worked long enough, technical know-how becomes almost irrelevant. In photography, it's not difficult to reach a technical level…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/i-find-that-when-one-has-worked-long-enough-technical-know-how/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [I believe that every photographer, every artist, should choose materials and equipment based on their own vision. I don't believe that non-digital is necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/i-believe-that-every-photographer-every-artist-should-choose/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [Perhaps most intriguing of all is that it is possible to photograph what is impossible for the human eye to see - cumulative time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/perhaps-most-intriguing-of-all-is-that-it-is-possible-to-photograph/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [Beauty is very much in the mind of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/beauty-is-very-much-in-the-mind-of-the-beholder/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [As a landscape photographer we should be open to possibilities, for one thing often leads to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/as-a-landscape-photographer-we-should-be-open-to-possibilities-for/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [Sometimes the most interesting visual phenomena occur when you least expect it. Other times, you think youre getting something amazing and the photographs turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/sometimes-the-most-interesting-visual-phenomena-occur-when-you-least/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) [Explore all 48 Michael Kenna quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. 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To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. 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