Knowing Quote by Steven Sebring
“I like not knowing too much about somebody I'm photographing, because the process also becomes an experience for me to learn about .”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Photographer Talk, 2015
The photographer prefers mystery to keep the creative process personal and exploratory.
In simple terms: Keep some distance to stay curious.
Key Takeaway
Embrace uncertainty in artistic work.
Themes
creativity
privacy
observation
Mood
reflective
intrigued
Type
artistic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- portrait sessions
- street photography
- documentary projects
Key Concepts
photography
intimacy
learning
Questions to Reflect On
- How does mystery affect your artistic vision?
- What balance of privacy and intimacy works for you?
A Different Perspective
Too much distance can hinder genuine connection with subjects.
![“At the beginning I didn't even really think about making a movie [Dream of Life]. I was just thinking of documenting somebody.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2d5/steven-sebring-14700_dream_at-the-beginning-i-didn-t-even-really-th_30900.jpg)
![“We just grew to trust each other [with Patti Smith] more and more over the years. Most of the time I didn't even have a movie camera.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e21/steven-sebring-14700_cameras_we-just-grew-to-trust-each-other-with-pa_49044.jpg)
![“That was an amazing experience [making Dream of Life]. It's hard to imagine that we were editing every day for a year. And it was pretty extraordinary; it also went by super fast. But every day was an experiment.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/316/steven-sebring-14700_amazing-experience_that-was-an-amazing-experience-making-dr_102805.jpg)
![“We had a hodgepodge of footage. We didn't film [in Dream of Life ]all the time - we would just film periodically, so nothing was synced and nothing was slated.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/325/steven-sebring-14700_dream_we-had-a-hodgepodge-of-footage-we-didn-t_238597.jpg)
![“I thought about how to film something, how to take pictures of it and how to mix it all together. And I was getting that through Patti [Smith] - because she takes pictures, performs, writes; she does so many things, and that was a big inspiration to me. It helped me realized that I'm not just a…” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/08f/steven-sebring-14700_art_i-thought-about-how-to-film-something-ho_292986.jpg)
![“I would bring Patti [Smith ] in to the editing room [working on the Dream of Life] and say, "This is a great moment for a voiceover, or a poem," and then we'd bring in some sound design.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/142/steven-sebring-14700_design_i-would-bring-patti-smith-in-to-the-edit_322546.jpg)
![“Because the filming process was so organic and there was no script, the film [Dream of Life] was literally telling us what it wanted to be in the editing room.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0b7/steven-sebring-14700_cinema_because-the-filming-process-was-so-organ_338933.jpg)
![“She let me in during her tour, in London. Her band members - especially Lenny Kaye - were shocked at the fact that I was filming Patti [Smith].” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a72/steven-sebring-14700_band_she-let-me-in-during-her-tour-in-london_416754.jpg)
![“I took pictures of the objects and artifacts that Patti [Smith] would show to her friends because I wanted to document them.” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b31/steven-sebring-14700_artifacts_i-took-pictures-of-the-objects-and-artif_435299.jpg)
![“I shot [Dream of Life] all on 16-millimeter, and I just wanted to learn about Patti [Smith].” quote by Steven Sebring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f0e/steven-sebring-14700_dream_i-shot-dream-of-life-all-on-16-millimete_583938.jpg)
