Difficult Quote by Paul Strand
“The portrait of a person is one of the most difficult things to do. It means you must almost bring the presence of that person photographed to other people in such a way that they don't have to know that person personally, but that they are still confronted with a human being that they won't forget. That's a portrait.”
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Photographic Eye” by Paul Strand, 1935
A portrait must convey the subject’s presence so power without personal familiarity.
In simple terms: Portraits capture a person’s essence for viewers.
Key Takeaway
Focus on evoking presence in visual storytelling.
Themes
art
photography
humanity
Mood
reflective
inspired
Type
artistic
educational
When to use this quote
- portrait sessions
- exhibitions
- educational workshops
Key Concepts
visual communication
empathy
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you convey a subject’s essence without intruding?
- What techniques enhance viewer connection?
A Different Perspective
Balancing intimacy and anonymity is challenging for artists.
![“Whether a watercolor is inferior to an oil [painting], or whether a drawing, an etching, or a photograph is not as important as either, is inconsequent. To have to despise something in order to respect something else is a sign of impotence.” quote by Paul Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a0f/paul-strand-17678_despise_whether-a-watercolor-is-inferior-to-an-o_1061739.jpg)
