Arbitrary Quote by Stephen Shore
“There's something arbitrary about taking a picture. So I can stand at the edge of a highway and take one step forward and it can be a natural landscape untouched by man and I can take one step back and include a guardrail and change the meaning of the picture radically... I can take a picture of a person at one moment and make them look contemplative and photograph them two seconds later and make them look frivolous.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Photographer Stephen Shore, 2015
Shore notes that framing choices dramatically alter a photograph’s meaning, showing the arbitrary nature of visual representation.
In simple terms: Changing what’s included in a photo changes its story.
Key Takeaway
Be intentional with composition to shape narrative.
Themes
photography
composition
perception
Mood
reflective
critical
Type
artistic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- portrait photography
- landscape photography
- street photography
Key Concepts
framing
context
visual narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- What story does your framing tell?
- How does context shift interpretation?
A Different Perspective
Composition choices can mislead or manipulate viewers.
