--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And that desire-the strong desire to take…" description: "\"And that desire-the strong desire to take pictures-is important. It borders on a need, based on a habit: the habit of seeing. Whether working or not, p..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/sam-abell-7768_borders_and-that-desire-the-strong-desire-to-tak_3086299.png" --- # And that desire-the strong desire to take pictures-is… ![“And that desire-the strong desire to take pictures-is important. It borders on a need, based on a habit: the habit of seeing. Whether working or not, photographers are looking, seeing, and thinking about what they see, a habit that is both a pleasure and a problem, for we seldom capture in a…” quote by Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/sam-abell-7768_borders_and-that-desire-the-strong-desire-to-tak_3086299.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/sam-abell-7768_borders_and-that-desire-the-strong-desire-to-tak_3086299.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52c/sam-abell-7768_borders_and-that-desire-the-strong-desire-to-tak_3086299.png) > “And that desire-the strong desire to take pictures-is important. It borders on a need, based on a habit: the habit of seeing. Whether working or not, photographers are looking, seeing, and thinking about what they see, a habit that is both a pleasure and a problem, for we seldom capture in a single photograph the full expression of what we see and feel. It is the hope that we might express ourselves fully-and the evidence that other photographers have done so-that keep us taking pictures.” [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Photographers are driven by a deep habit of seeing, which fuels both creative joy and the frustration of never fully capturing experience. **In simple terms:** Seeing fuels creative drive but also limits capture. Key Takeaway Embrace the habit, accept its limits. Themes creativity observation artistic tension Mood reflective inspired Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - photo walks - gallery curation - personal projects - teaching photography Key Concepts visual perception habit formation expressive limitation Questions to Reflect On - How does your habit of seeing shape your work? - Can you capture feeling without a photo? A Different Perspective The habit can cause obsessive shooting without reflection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Borders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photographer/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Strong desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-desire/) [Taking pictures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking-pictures/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Now very often events are set up for photographers... The weddings are orchestrated about the photographers taking the picture, because if it hasn't been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-erwitt/now-very-often-events-are-set-up-for-photographers-the-weddings-are/) [Elliott Erwitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-erwitt/) > [The still image continues to have a ton of strength. An image taken out of context from one fraction of a second to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-greenberg/the-still-image-continues-to-have-a-ton-of-strength-an-image-taken/) [Jill Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-greenberg/) > [A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/a-great-photograph-is-a-full-expression-of-what-one-feels/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [“A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense and is thereby a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/a-great-photograph-is-a-full-expression-of-what-one-feels-about-what/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) > [My first priority when taking pictures is to achieve clarity. A good documentary photograph transmits the information of the situation with the utmost fidelity;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/my-first-priority-when-taking-pictures-is-to-achieve-clarity-a-good/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [I have this awareness that the more dynamic the situation is, the more on guard I need to be that the dynamic isn't controlling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-have-this-awareness-that-the-more-dynamic-the-situation-is-the-more/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [In 2011, when we launched TransferWise, it was our frustration with banks not giving us what we wanted or needed as customers. The motivation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taavet-hinrikus/in-2011-when-we-launched-transferwise-it-was-our-frustration-with/) [Taavet Hinrikus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taavet-hinrikus/) > [The only emotion sufficient to change a failure habit into a success pattern, is the strong desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/the-only-emotion-sufficient-to-change-a-failure-habit-into-a-success/) Senoraroy > [The artist's personality, built upon strong desires and compassionate vision, is by its nature prone to depression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-maisel/the-artist-s-personality-built-upon-strong-desires-and-compassionate/) [Eric Maisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-maisel/) > [I had a very strong desire to be successful at something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-demille/i-had-a-very-strong-desire-to-be-successful-at-something/) [Nelson DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-demille/) > [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The strong desire for success is the best indication that you can achieve success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/the-strong-desire-for-success-is-the-best-indication-that-you-can/) [Stanisław I Leszczyński](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanis-aw-i-leszczy-ski/) > [Just a strong desire to achieve isnt enough to get it, one need to put strong efforts too. All those who became famous out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/just-a-strong-desire-to-achieve-isnt-enough-to-get-it-one-need-to-put/) Senoraroy > [Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of readiness to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/courage-is-almost-a-contradiction-in-terms-it-means-a-strong-desire/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/to-all-these-i-wish-to-convey-the-thought-that-all-achievement-no/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More by Sam Abell > [Photography, alone of the arts, seems perfected to serve the desire humans have for a moment - this very moment - to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/photography-alone-of-the-arts-seems-perfected-to-serve-the-desire/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [I did it once, and National Geographic recruited me. I did it primarily out of curiosity. A lot of legendary photographers had worked on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-did-it-once-and-national-geographic-recruited-me-i-did-it-primarily/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [I can't speak for other photographers, but the photographers who went forward strongly when the so-called "official" part of their career ended, to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-can-t-speak-for-other-photographers-but-the-photographers-who-went/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Actually, ambition won't get you that far. You'll shift gears. You'll see something that's shinier. But if you believe... then you're the long-distance runner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/actually-ambition-won-t-get-you-that-far-you-ll-shift-gears-you-ll/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [A mad, keen photographer needs to get out into the world and work and make mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/a-mad-keen-photographer-needs-to-get-out-into-the-world-and-work-and/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [I have this awareness that the more dynamic the situation is, the more on guard I need to be that the dynamic isn't controlling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-have-this-awareness-that-the-more-dynamic-the-situation-is-the-more/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [What I'm interested in is modern American history. I'm taken with the changes that have occurred in America in my lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/what-i-m-interested-in-is-modern-american-history-i-m-taken-with-the/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Essentially what photography is is life lit up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/essentially-what-photography-is-is-life-lit-up/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Life rarely presents fully finished photographs. An image evolves, often from a single strand of visual interest - a distant horizon, a moment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/life-rarely-presents-fully-finished-photographs-an-image-evolves/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Photographs that transcend but do not deny their literal situation appeal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/photographs-that-transcend-but-do-not-deny-their-literal-situation/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [I wanted life to be episodic. I wanted to be a magazine photographer and I was willing to do what it took to become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/i-wanted-life-to-be-episodic-i-wanted-to-be-a-magazine-photographer/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [ That statement \[ Stephen Ambrose:'You, Sam, have the hardest job, which is, pretend like nothing has happened in the last 200 years.'\] woke me… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/that-statement-stephen-ambrose-you-sam-have-the-hardest-job-which-is/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [The unusual wins out over the usual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/the-unusual-wins-out-over-the-usual/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [Even though I teach with 35mm, my method takes people by surprise, because it isn't fast, and it isn't about hardware or software, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-abell/even-though-i-teach-with-35mm-my-method-takes-people-by-surprise/) [Sam Abell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-abell/) > [The class that I teach is called "The Life of a Photograph." 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