---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That [photographs] disturb readers is…"
description: "\"That [photographs] disturb readers is exactly as it should be: that's why photojournalism is often more powerful than written journalism.\" — Nora Ephron"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/nora-ephron-1217_books_that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exac_1058835.jpg"
---

#  That \[photographs\] disturb readers is exactly as it should…

![“That &#91;photographs&#93; disturb readers is exactly as it should be: that's why photojournalism is often more powerful than written journalism.” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/nora-ephron-1217_books_that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exac_1058835.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/nora-ephron-1217_books_that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exac_1058835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/nora-ephron-1217_books_that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exac_1058835.jpg)

> “That \[photographs\] disturb readers is exactly as it should be: that's why photojournalism is often more powerful than written journalism.”

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Photojournalism should disrupt readers because visual storytelling can convey truth more directly than words.

**In simple terms:** Photos should provoke.

Key Takeaway

Embrace visual media’s impact.

Themes

media truth visual storytelling

Mood

provocative thoughtful

Type

critical inspirational

When to use this quote

- newsrooms
- documentary projects
- social media campaigns

Key Concepts

journalism impact perception

Questions to Reflect On

- What makes a photo more powerful than text?
- How can we balance visual impact with accuracy?

A Different Perspective

Visuals can be misinterpreted.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Exactly Photojournalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exactly-photojournalism-2573884/) [Journalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journalism/) [Photograph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photograph/) [Photographs Disturb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographs-disturb-2573885/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Photojournalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photojournalism/) [Photojournalism Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photojournalism-powerful-2573883/) [Powerful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerful/) [Reader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reader/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/)

## Related quotes

> [If you are walking down the street, camera in your hand, loaded and ready to shoot. You see a person falling from a high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-nimoy/if-you-are-walking-down-the-street-camera-in-your-hand-loaded-and/)

[Leonard Nimoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-nimoy/)

> [One of the leading uses of photography by the mass media came to be called photojournalism. From the late 'twenties' to the early 'fifties'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-szarkowski/one-of-the-leading-uses-of-photography-by-the-mass-media-came-to-be/)

[John Szarkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-szarkowski/)

> [I always believed that photography was subjective, interpretive and certainly did not represent the truth, but I did think that its status as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ritchin/i-always-believed-that-photography-was-subjective-interpretive-and/)

[Fred Ritchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ritchin/)

> [... photojournalism has its tremendous rewards and it's wonderful work. In what other work can you wander aimlessly with a camera around your neck,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-towell/photojournalism-has-its-tremendous-rewards-and-it-s-wonderful-work-in/)

[Larry Towell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-towell/)

> [The denunciation of suffering by photography has replaced the religious justification of suffering in painting. Denunciation is a function of photojournalism, and in itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-delahaye/the-denunciation-of-suffering-by-photography-has-replaced-the/)

[Luc Delahaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-delahaye/)

> [ I have always felt that a lot of the most interesting work, not just mine but other people's, falls into \[the\] nether area, somewhere… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-webb/i-have-always-felt-that-a-lot-of-the-most-interesting-work-not-just/)

[Alex Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-webb/)

> [What is photojournalism? Occasionally, a very unique photo, in which form is precise and rich enough and content has enough resonance, is sufficient in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri/what-is-photojournalism-occasionally-a-very-unique-photo-in-which/)

[Henri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri/)

> [I did photography in summer camp; I did it in high school. The only hard decision I've had to make was whether to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-morrison/i-did-photography-in-summer-camp-i-did-it-in-high-school-the-only/)

[Rachel Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-morrison/)

> [Photojournalism is photography with more story telling. A single image can be amazing and dramatic. I started out shooting individual images, but I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-arthur/photojournalism-is-photography-with-more-story-telling-a-single-image/)

[Olivia Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-arthur/)

> [I respect newspapers, but the reality is that magazine 'photojournalism' is finished. They want illustrations, Photoshopped pictures of movie stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-respect-newspapers-but-the-reality-is-that-magazine-photojournalism/)

[Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/)

> [Photojournalism has become a hybrid enterprise of amateurs and professionals, along with surveillance cameras, Google Street Views, and other sources. What is underrepresented are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ritchin/photojournalism-has-become-a-hybrid-enterprise-of-amateurs-and/)

[Fred Ritchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ritchin/)

> [I think photojournalism is documentary photography with a purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-eugene-smith/i-think-photojournalism-is-documentary-photography-with-a-purpose/)

[W. Eugene Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-eugene-smith/)

> [After I discovered my degree in photojournalism would only get me a job in a camera store, I taught myself lighting. I read tons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-menzel/after-i-discovered-my-degree-in-photojournalism-would-only-get-me-a/)

[Peter Menzel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-menzel/)

> [If you look at photojournalism, it's largely driven by current events... always chasing a crisis or disaster. I follow a narrative that is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/if-you-look-at-photojournalism-it-s-largely-driven-by-current-events/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [And what we called photojournalism, the photos seen in places like Life magazine, didn't interest me either. They were just not good-there was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-eggleston/and-what-we-called-photojournalism-the-photos-seen-in-places-like/)

[William Eggleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-eggleston/)

## More by Nora Ephron

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“That's the catch about betrayal, of course: that it feels good, that there's something immensely pleasurable about moving from a complicated relationship which involves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-s-the-catch-about-betrayal-of-course-that-it-feels-good-that/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-whole-purpose-of-places-like-starbucks-is-for-people-with-no/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [Death is a sniper. It strikes people you love, people you like, people you know - it's everywhere. You could be next. But then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/death-is-a-sniper-it-strikes-people-you-love-people-you-like-people/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> ['When you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you. When you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it's your laugh.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/when-you-slip-on-a-banana-peel-people-laugh-at-you-when-you-tell/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“I wish he were better at hailing taxis than I am; on the other hand, I realize that expectation is culturally conditioned, utterly foolish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-wish-he-were-better-at-hailing-taxis-than-i-am-on-the-other-hand-i/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [You enter into a certain amount of madness when you marry a person with pets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/you-enter-into-a-certain-amount-of-madness-when-you-marry-a-person/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [I never went near the Wellesley College chapel in my four years there, but I am still amazed at the amount of Christian charity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-never-went-near-the-wellesley-college-chapel-in-my-four-years-there/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [You can't call yourself a feminist if you don't believe in the right to abortion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/you-can-t-call-yourself-a-feminist-if-you-don-t-believe-in-the-right/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“I always read the last page of a book first so that if I die before I finish I'll know how it turned out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-always-read-the-last-page-of-a-book-first-so-that-if-i-die-before-i/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“If I was home alone at night, I cooked myself an entire meal from one of these cookbooks. Then I sat down in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/if-i-was-home-alone-at-night-i-cooked-myself-an-entire-meal-from-one/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“The next man I was involved with lived in Boston. He taught me to cook mushrooms. He taught me that if you heat the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/the-next-man-i-was-involved-with-lived-in-boston-he-taught-me-to-cook/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/whatever-you-choose-however-many-roads-you-travel-i-hope-that-you/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [A man who finishes a book is always alone when he finishes it...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/a-man-who-finishes-a-book-is-always-alone-when-he-finishes-it/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [“I hear myself saying these words: What this movement is about is options. I say it to friends who are frustrated, or housebound, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/i-hear-myself-saying-these-words-what-this-movement-is-about-is/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

[Explore all 272 Nora Ephron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

## More Books quotes

> [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/)

[Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/)

> [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/)

[Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/)

> [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/)

[Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/)

> [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/)

[Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/)

> [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/)

[Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/)

> [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/)

[Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/)

> [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/)

[Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/)

[Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/)

> [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/)

[Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/)

> [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/)

[Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/)

> [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/)

[Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/)

> [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/)

[Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/)

> [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/)

[Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/)

[Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "That [photographs] disturb readers is exactly as it should be: that's why photojournalism is often more powerful than written journalism.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Nora Ephron"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exactly-as-it-should-be-that-s/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Books"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exactly-as-it-should-be-that-s/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/nora-ephron-1217_books_that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exac_1058835.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/nora-ephron-1217_books_that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exac_1058835.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a4/nora-ephron-1217_books_that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exac_1058835.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“That [photographs] disturb readers is exactly as it should be: that's why photojournalism is often more…” — Nora Ephron",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Nora Ephron",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "That [photographs] disturb readers is exactly...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exactly-as-it-should-be-that-s/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/that-photographs-disturb-readers-is-exactly-as-it-should-be-that-s/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
