--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In my photographic work I'm generally…" description: "\"In my photographic work I'm generally attracted to places that contain memories, history, atmospheres and stories. I'm interested in the places where p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/michael-kenna-14079_activity_in-my-photographic-work-i-m-generally-at_153642.png" --- # In my photographic work I'm generally attracted to places… ![“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 lived, worked and played. I look for traces of the past, visual fingerprints, evidence of activities - they fire my imagination and…” quote by Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/michael-kenna-14079_activity_in-my-photographic-work-i-m-generally-at_153642.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/michael-kenna-14079_activity_in-my-photographic-work-i-m-generally-at_153642.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/michael-kenna-14079_activity_in-my-photographic-work-i-m-generally-at_153642.png) > “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 lived, worked and played. I look for traces of the past, visual fingerprints, evidence of activities - they fire my imagination and connect into my own personal experiences. Using the analogy of the theater, I would say that I like to photograph the empty stage, before or after the performance, even in between acts. I love the atmosphere of anticipation, the feeling in the air that events have happened, or will happen soon.” [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. He seeks places that hold lingering memories and unseen narratives, capturing the quiet moments before or after human activity. **In simple terms:** He photographs empty spaces that hint at past lives. Key Takeaway Look for hidden stories in everyday places. Themes memory history atmosphere anticipation visual storytelling Mood reflective nostalgic Type artistic observational When to use this quote - urban exploration - historical sites - personal reflection - creative projects Key Concepts photography place theory temporal perception Questions to Reflect On - What unnoticed details could reveal a place’s past? - How does anticipation shape your perception of a scene? A Different Perspective The unseen may be too subtle to convey without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Analogies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analogies/) [Events](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/events/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Fingerprints](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fingerprints/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [My imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-imagination/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Personal experiences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-experiences/) [Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I do have strong convictions and political opinions, but I don't think it's necessary to imbue my photographic work with them. 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Sebald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-g-sebald/) > [Essentially, I look for what is interesting to me, out there in the three-dimensional world, and translate or interpret so that it becomes visually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/essentially-i-look-for-what-is-interesting-to-me-out-there-in-the/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [Of course, the whole photographic process has been made much faster, cleaner and far more accessible to people by digital innovations, which is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-kenna/of-course-the-whole-photographic-process-has-been-made-much-faster/) [Michael Kenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-kenna/) > [I choose colors I like and will photograph well. 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I've always assumed that the photograph is nearly right, but that little bit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-gayford/most-people-feel-that-the-world-looks-like-the-photograph-i-ve-always/) [Martin Gayford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-gayford/) > [I don't have anything to say in any picture. My only interest in photography is to see what something looks like as a photograph.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-have-anything-to-say-in-any-picture-my-only-interest-in/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [It's like he would take a photograph of Sam, and the photograph would be beautiful. 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If you don't know what it is you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gutmann/content-to-me-is-very-important-but-i-like-it-when-the-photograph-is/) John Gutmann ## 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/) > [Getting photographs is not the most important thing. For me it's the act of photographing. 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Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. 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