--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I never wanted to be called an artist. I…" description: "\"I never wanted to be called an artist. I wanted to be called a photographer.\" — Richard Avedon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/richard-avedon-10149_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-called-an-artist-i_2124505.jpg" --- # I never wanted to be called an artist. I wanted to be… ![“I never wanted to be called an artist. I wanted to be called a photographer.” quote by Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/richard-avedon-10149_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-called-an-artist-i_2124505.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/richard-avedon-10149_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-called-an-artist-i_2124505.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/863/richard-avedon-10149_art_i-never-wanted-to-be-called-an-artist-i_2124505.jpg) > “I never wanted to be called an artist. I wanted to be called a photographer.” [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He prefers the title photographer, photographer,, to the broader term artist. **In simple terms:** He wants to be recognized as a photographer, not just an artist. Key Takeaway Define your professional identity. Themes photography identity career artistic labels Mood determined reflective Type personal professional When to use this quote - exhibitions - portfolio reviews - media profiles - client work Key Concepts professional focus public perception Questions to Reflect On - Why is the distinction important to you? - How does the label affect your work? A Different Perspective May limit interdisciplinary opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) ## Related quotes > [I never intended to write poems, nor to be a photographer, nor to be a film-maker. 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I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/early-in-school-they-called-me-the-artist-when-teachers-wanted-things/) [Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/) > [The greatest compliment I ever got was when people called me an artist, and I understand that solo aspect of being an artist, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mcenroe/the-greatest-compliment-i-ever-got-was-when-people-called-me-an/) [John McEnroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mcenroe/) > [I've been very fortunateit's just been an amazing piece of luck. I haven't had to suffer for my art but I've suffered enough inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-plummer/i-ve-been-very-fortunateit-s-just-been-an-amazing-piece-of-luck-i/) [Christopher Plummer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-plummer/) ## More by Richard Avedon > [A photographic portrait is a picture of someone who knows he is being photographed, and what he does with this knowledge is as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/a-photographic-portrait-is-a-picture-of-someone-who-knows-he-is-being/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) > [Snapshots that have been taken of me working show something I was not aware of at all, that over and over again I'm holding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/snapshots-that-have-been-taken-of-me-working-show-something-i-was-not/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) > [Sometimes I think all my pictures are just pictures of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/sometimes-i-think-all-my-pictures-are-just-pictures-of-me/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) > [There's always been a separation between fashion and what I call my deeper work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/there-s-always-been-a-separation-between-fashion-and-what-i-call-my/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) > [I can see myself as a very old man in a terrific wheelchair. 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The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/a-portrait-is-not-a-likeness-the-moment-an-emotion-or-fact-is/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) > [The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but an opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/the-moment-an-emotion-or-fact-is-transformed-into-a-photograph-it-is/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) > [When I was a boy, my family took great care with our snapshots. We really planned them. We made compositions. We posed in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-avedon/when-i-was-a-boy-my-family-took-great-care-with-our-snapshots-we/) [Richard Avedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-avedon/) > [I don't really remember the day when I stood behind my camera with Henry Kissinger on the other side. 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You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. 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