Wise Words Indeed #3 – Charles Harbutt

3rd February, 2011

Many photographers are as equally eloquent of thought as they are in capturing the most mesmerizing of street images. One such sidewalk snapper is the former President of Magnum Photo’s, Charles Harbutt. During a splendid 1972 piece the brilliant American photographer contemplated ‘reality’, unfurling the following Wise Words Indeed…  



“Reality comes without adjectives, it just is. The photographer’s problem is to come to see the real world as it really is, like the boy hero of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’. In some ways, all photographers must become cavemen. Or aliens. Or children.” - Charles Harbutt

Photograph by Charles Harbutt

“The significant point is that if we are as open to reality as a camera is, that is as totally as a blank film to light, we in fact perceive meaning or feel emotion through reality’s own form.”  - Charles Harbutt

Photograph by Charles Harbutt

“Photography is the only medium that originates in and is caused by the real, historical, time-space event of a collision between a man, a camera and reality.”  - Charles Harbutt

Photograph by Charles Harbutt

“Writing about a visual medium tends to make the simple complex. If you want to make photographs, all you do is point the camera at whatever you wish, click the shutter whenever you want. If you want to judge a good photograph, ask yourself: Is life like that? The answer must be yes and no, but mostly yes.”  - Charles Harbutt

Photograph by Charles Harbutt

“Photography is a reality high”  - Charles Harbutt  

Photograph by Charles Harbutt