You should never use camera to make your pictures.
You use yourself, your experience, to make the pictures with the camera.
Not the other way around.

— Antonin Kratochvil

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13 Comments

  1. This guy is one of my heroes, and I like him more so after this interview.

  2. The images on his website landing page rotate, but when I went there just now for the first time, I was greeted with a portrait of George Clooney that is slightly out of focus and composed a little unconventionally. And it’s one of the most the penetrating and memorable I’ve seen of him. It really makes the perfectly lit, perfectly focused covers of “People” or whatever seem almost ugly.

    So yeah, I get what he’s saying, big time.

  3. great read, and wonderful images. . . “You should never use camera to make your pictures. You use yourself, your experience, to make the pictures with the camera. Not the other way around.”

    – Antonin Kratochvil

    Such a profound quote, I love it!

    Tony Bynum

  4. Thanks for posting this wonderful clip! I was exactly what I needed to be reminded of at just this very moment! :) I very strongly agree and relate to his ending quote:
    “You should never use camera to make your pictures. You use yourself, your experience, to make the pictures with the camera. Not the other way around.”

  5. Thanks! Been looking for this for awhile to re-watch and… here it is! APE to the rescue.

  6. Everyone always gets so caught up in owning the best equipment, the best camera, the best lenses that they forget about what photography really is…

    Thanks for that reminder APE.

  8. I saw him speak at the University of California Berkeley Journalism school. He is a an inspirational voice with a unique style and eye and the willingness to buck convention, following his own path. He’s also done some really nice black + white advertising work, maintaining his style and not looking too “produced” though you know it was.

  9. Thank you.
    Love his stuff.

  10. He spends most of his time talking to subjects rather than shooting them. Its an extraordinary think to watch.

  11. […] A great interview from Canon and the VII Agency – watch it here […]

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