--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look and think before opening the…" description: "\"Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.\" — Yousuf Karsh" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/yousuf-karsh-29647_camera_look-and-think-before-opening-the-shutte_941780.png" --- # Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and… ![“Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.” quote by Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/yousuf-karsh-29647_camera_look-and-think-before-opening-the-shutte_941780.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/yousuf-karsh-29647_camera_look-and-think-before-opening-the-shutte_941780.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32b/yousuf-karsh-29647_camera_look-and-think-before-opening-the-shutte_941780.png) > “Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.” [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote urges mindfulness, suggesting that perception and intention shape what we capture, not just the camera. **In simple terms:** Think before you shoot; your inner view matters. Key Takeaway Pause, reflect, then capture. Themes mindfulness perception creativity Mood contemplative inspired Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - portrait sessions - street photography - documentary work - personal projects Key Concepts visual literacy intentionality Questions to Reflect On - How does your mood affect what you photograph? - What inner stories do you want to tell? A Different Perspective If you focus too much on technique, you may miss emotional depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Camera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camera/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart and mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-and-mind/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening/) [Opening Shutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening-shutter-1615313/) [Photography](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/photography/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Shutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shutter/) [Shutter Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shutter-heart-1615311/) [True Lens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-lens-1615312/) ## Related quotes > [I am a camera, with its shutter open. Someday, all of this will be developed, printed, fixed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/i-am-a-camera-with-its-shutter-open-someday-all-of-this-will-be/) [Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/) > [Every time we click the shutter, it's like a new day, a new chance to make a clean start, to be original. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-steber/every-time-we-click-the-shutter-it-s-like-a-new-day-a-new-chance-to/) [Maggie Steber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-steber/) > [Photographs are like our children. We put the best of ourselves into them - the best of our vision, our minds, our hearts -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-steber/photographs-are-like-our-children-we-put-the-best-of-ourselves-into/) [Maggie Steber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-steber/) > [What is truth in photography? It can be told in a hundred different ways. Every thirtieth of a second when the shutter snaps, its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-mann/what-is-truth-in-photography-it-can-be-told-in-a-hundred-different/) [Sally Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-mann/) > [When I walk with a camera, I walk from shot to shot, reading the light on a calibrated meter. When I walk without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/when-i-walk-with-a-camera-i-walk-from-shot-to-shot-reading-the-light/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [There are only two hard things in photography; which way to point the camera and when to release the shutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-steiner/there-are-only-two-hard-things-in-photography-which-way-to-point-the/) [Ralph Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-steiner/) > [When your mouth drops open, click the shutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-feinstein/when-your-mouth-drops-open-click-the-shutter/) [Harold Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-feinstein/) > [If you look at most photography, especially the pictures that grab you, they are not objective at all. Sometimes gut wrenching and sometimes lovely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-filo/if-you-look-at-most-photography-especially-the-pictures-that-grab-you/) [John Filo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-filo/) > [“Good pictures. Tragedy and violence certainly make powerful images. It is what we get paid for.But there is a price extracted with every such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-marinovich/good-pictures-tragedy-and-violence-certainly-make-powerful-images-it/) [Greg Marinovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-marinovich/) > [Photographs aren't accounts of scrutiny. The shutter is open for a fraction of a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hockney/photographs-aren-t-accounts-of-scrutiny-the-shutter-is-open-for-a/) [David Hockney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hockney/) > [Never boss people around. It's more important to click with people than to click the shutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-eisenstaedt/never-boss-people-around-it-s-more-important-to-click-with-people/) [Alfred Eisenstaedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-eisenstaedt/) > [When that shutter clicks, anything else that can be done afterward is not worth consideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-steichen/when-that-shutter-clicks-anything-else-that-can-be-done-afterward-is/) [Edward Steichen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-steichen/) > [I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking. Recording the man shaving at the window opposite and the woman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/i-am-a-camera-with-its-shutter-open-quite-passive-recording-not/) [Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/) > [ My mom had bought this camera to take classes herself and I remember working with her on it, understanding how the stop-motion \[worked\], having… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-vespa/my-mom-had-bought-this-camera-to-take-classes-herself-and-i-remember/) [Jeff Vespa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-vespa/) > [“Sometimes I arrive just when God's ready to have somone click the shutter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ansel-adams/sometimes-i-arrive-just-when-god-s-ready-to-have-somone-click-the/) [Ansel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ansel-adams/) ## More by Yousuf Karsh > [My personal interest in ordinary people is unlimited, but I am fascinated by the challenge of portraying true greatness adequately with my camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/my-personal-interest-in-ordinary-people-is-unlimited-but-i-am/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [Within every man and woman a secret is hidden, and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/within-every-man-and-woman-a-secret-is-hidden-and-as-a-photographer/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [My chief joy is to photograph the great in heart, in mind, and in spirit, whether they be famous or humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/my-chief-joy-is-to-photograph-the-great-in-heart-in-mind-and-in/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/character-like-a-photograph-develops-in-darkness/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [“Character, like film, develops in darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/character-like-film-develops-in-darkness/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [It should be the aim of every photographer to make a single exposure that shows everything about the subject. I have been told that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/it-should-be-the-aim-of-every-photographer-to-make-a-single-exposure/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [I've also seen that great men are often lonely. This is understandable, because they have built such high standards for themselves that they often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/i-ve-also-seen-that-great-men-are-often-lonely-this-is-understandable/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [The trouble with photographing beautiful women is that you never get into the dark room until after they've gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/the-trouble-with-photographing-beautiful-women-is-that-you-never-get/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [If there is a single quality that is shared by all great men, it is vanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/if-there-is-a-single-quality-that-is-shared-by-all-great-men-it-is/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [I have found that great people do have in common. . .an immense belief in themselves and in their mission. They also have gerat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/i-have-found-that-great-people-do-have-in-common-an-immense-belief-in/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [I try to photograph people's spirits and thoughts. As to the soul-taking by the photographer, I don't feel I take away, but rather that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/i-try-to-photograph-people-s-spirits-and-thoughts-as-to-the-soul/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [If it's a likeness, alone, it's not a success. If, through my portraits, you can come to know the subjects more meaningfully, if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/if-it-s-a-likeness-alone-it-s-not-a-success-if-through-my-portraits/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [Within every man and woman a secret is hidden, and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/within-every-man-and-woman-a-secret-is-hidden-and-as-a-photographer-2/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [There is a brief moment when all there is in a man's mind and soul and spirit is reflected through his eyes, his hands,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/there-is-a-brief-moment-when-all-there-is-in-a-man-s-mind-and-soul/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) > [The art is the challenge which you must meet every day: the technique you should learn to control with time. The science and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yousuf-karsh/the-art-is-the-challenge-which-you-must-meet-every-day-the-technique/) [Yousuf Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) [Explore all 18 Yousuf Karsh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yousuf-karsh/) ## More Camera quotes > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I have a way to photograph. You work with space, you have a camera, you have a frame, and then a fraction of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastiao-salgado/i-have-a-way-to-photograph-you-work-with-space-you-have-a-camera-you/) [Sebastiao Salgado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastiao-salgado/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [When I made my debut as an actor in 'Rock On!' I was confident to get in front of the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farhan-akhtar/when-i-made-my-debut-as-an-actor-in-rock-on-i-was-confident-to-get-in/) [Farhan Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farhan-akhtar/) > [Since a camera is something too heavy for women and initially made for men, you need a good cameraman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitra-farahani/since-a-camera-is-something-too-heavy-for-women-and-initially-made/) [Mitra Farahani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitra-farahani/) > [To be honest, I don't know... something about the camera like turns me into such a diva. Like when it's on and I see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bretman-rock/to-be-honest-i-don-t-know-something-about-the-camera-like-turns-me/) [Bretman Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bretman-rock/) > [When the camera is on, I am an actor; otherwise, I am an ordinary person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nana-patekar/when-the-camera-is-on-i-am-an-actor-otherwise-i-am-an-ordinary-person/) [Nana Patekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nana-patekar/) > [“A camera is an opening in a box: that is the best emblem of the fact that a camera holding an object is holding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-cavell/a-camera-is-an-opening-in-a-box-that-is-the-best-emblem-of-the-fact/) [Stanley Cavell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-cavell/) > [It's such a weird thing, because you have a whole crew of people standing over there, on the other side. There's a camera pointing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/it-s-such-a-weird-thing-because-you-have-a-whole-crew-of-people/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [“The camera lets me see things in a different way. It's like I finally have perspective. I can't always say stuff right in words.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-cook/the-camera-lets-me-see-things-in-a-different-way-it-s-like-i-finally/) [Eileen Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-cook/) > [I was so green, and my background was mostly in theater. The only thing I'd done in front of a camera, besides an infomercial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/i-was-so-green-and-my-background-was-mostly-in-theater-the-only-thing/) [Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/) > [As far as lighting and blocking, camera angles and facial expressions, all that stuff that has to be very specific in film, as opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-torres/as-far-as-lighting-and-blocking-camera-angles-and-facial-expressions/) [Eve Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-torres/) > [It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-the-photographer-not-the-camera-that-is-the-instrument/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't like to move the camera that much anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-tucci/i-don-t-like-to-move-the-camera-that-much-anyway/) [Stanley Tucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-tucci/) > [I feel like 'Preacher's Daughter' was my Trojan horse, in a way. I'm excited to pull back, be behind the camera instead of in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethel-cain/i-feel-like-preacher-s-daughter-was-my-trojan-horse-in-a-way-i-m/) [Ethel Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethel-cain/) [Browse all 2,026 Camera quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camera/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Look and think before opening the shutter. 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