I love reading and hearing portrait photography quotes from time to time. You get to know some renowned photographers from that field and get insight into their thinking and, eventually, what made them renowned in the first place!
So lay back and get inspired by all these quotes I collected for you! If you’re looking for a caption for your latest Instagram post instead, have a look at them further down:
56 Inspirational Quotes From Renowned Photographers
- “In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a Leitmotiv.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson
- “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know.” – Diane Arbus
- “A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.” – Richard Avedon
- “When I take a picture, I take 10 percent of what I see.” – Annie Leibovitz
- “When people look at my pictures, I want them to feel the way they do when they want to read a line of a poem twice.” – Robert Frank
- “A good portrait tells a story, hints at a life beyond the edges of the frame.” – Steve McCurry
- “A portrait is not a likeness. The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but an opinion.” – Yousuf Karsh
- “It’s important to photograph people in a way that honors their individuality.” – David Bailey
- “To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place.” – Elliot Erwitt
IG: creativesholzphotography - “A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.” – Edward Steichen
- “The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.” – Andy Warhol
- “A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety.” – Ansel Adams
- “Photography is the story I fail to put into words.” – Destin Sparks
- “Every face I see seems to hide and sometimes fleetingly reveal the mystery of another human being.” – Alberto Korda
- “A portrait is a painting made by the eye, with the hand, and the heart.” – Joseph Szabo
- “What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.” – Karl Lagerfeld
- “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know.” – Diane Arbus
- “Your photography is a record of your living, for anyone who really sees.” – Paul Strand
- “A portrait is not a likeness. The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph, it is no longer a fact but an opinion.” – Richard Avedon
- “To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place.” – Elliott Erwitt
- “A photograph is the pause button of life.” – Ty Holland
- “The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.” – Audrey Hepburn
- “When you photograph a face, you photograph the soul behind it.” – Jean-Luc Godard
- “A good portrait is incredibly hard to create. It’s about the connection and the emotion, not just the person.” – Peter Hurley
- “What I like most about photography is the moment that you can’t anticipate; you have to be constantly watching for it, ready to welcome the unexpected.” – Martine Franck
- “A true portrait should, today and a hundred years from today, be the testimony of how this person looked and what kind of human being he or she was.” – Philippe Halsman
- “A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you.” – Brigitte Bardot
- “I believe that the essence of photography is black and white. Color is but a deviance.” – Sarah Moon
- “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know.” – Duane Michals
- “A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.” – Edward Steichen
- “The eyes have one language everywhere.” – George Herbert
- “The picture that you took with your camera is the imagination you want to create with reality.” – Scott Lorenzo
- “A photograph is a moral decision taken in one-eighth of a second. Or it isn’t.” – Salman Rushdie
- “I paint with light.” – Anonymous
- “Photography is an art of observation. It has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” – Elliott Erwitt
- “A portrait is like an ornamental headstone. It is not for the subject but for those who look upon it.” – Marcel Proust
- “Every time I press the shutter, it takes me one step closer to Mother Nature.” – Man Ray
- “A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.” – Ansel Adams
- “The camera sees more than the eye, so why not make use of it?” – Edward Weston
Pinterest: pixelandwanderlust.com - “The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter – often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter – in the eye.” – Charlotte Brontë
- “A portrait is a picture in which there is something wrong with the mouth.” – Eugene Speicher
- “The eye should learn to listen before it looks.” – Robert Frank
- “I don’t trust words. I trust pictures.” – Gilles Peress
- “You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” – Ansel Adams
- “Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” – Aaron Siskind
- “In photography, there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” – Alfred Stieglitz
- “I am not interested in shooting new things. I am interested to see things new.” – Ernst Haas
- “The best camera is the one that’s with you.” – Chase Jarvis
- “What makes a photograph a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time.” – John Berger
- “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you, the less you know.” – Diane Arbus
- “When I say I want to photograph someone, what it really means is that I’d like to know them. Anyone I know I photograph.” – Annie Leibovitz
- “The camera makes you forget you’re there. It’s not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much.” – Annie Leibovitz
- “A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart, and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it.” – Irving Penn
- “Photography is a love affair with life.” – Burk Uzzle
- “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” – Ansel Adams
- “Photography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world.” – Bruno Barbey
30 Portrait Photography Quotes for Instagram
If you’re looking for inspirational portrait photography quotes to add to your Instagram post instead, we’ve got you covered as well! We’ve all been there, after all…ready to post our newest portrait, but lacking a nice caption. Have a look at those quotes:
- “Capture the untold stories in every gaze.”
- “Every face has a story waiting to be told.”
- “In the eyes of the beholder, a myriad of tales.”
- “Portraits freeze time and immortalize moments.”
- “Life is art, and you are the masterpiece.”
- “Uncover the beauty hidden in plain sight.”
- “Find the extraordinary within the ordinary.“
- “Let your portrait be the window to your soul.”
- “Seize the unspoken poetry of the every day.”
- “Reveal the strength behind every smile.”
- “Let your authenticity shine through every shot.”
- “A single photo can speak the universal language of humanity.”
- “Embrace the imperfections that make you unique.“
- “The essence of character captured in a flash.”
- “Dwell in the magic of the present moment.”
Pinterest: pixelsandwanderlust.com - “Portraits tell stories beyond words.”
- “Through the lens, we connect worlds.”
- “Every portrait holds a hidden narrative.”
- “Celebrate the unscripted beauty of life.“
- “A picture not just seen, but felt.”
- “The art of capturing raw emotion.”
- “Crafting legacy with every click.”
- “Freeze a second, tell a lifetime.”
- “The silence of a portrait echoes the loudest tales.“
- “Show the world who you truly are.”
- “Every line, every curve, tells its own story.”
- “Creating timeless treasures, one portrait at a time.”
- “The soul’s narrative through a portrait’s eye.”
- “Frame the spirit, not just the face.“
- “Let each portrait be your silent poetry.”
My Favorite Quotes
I like to include some quotes in my Instagram posts or sprinkle them on the website (our homepage, for example!).
Some quotes have really inspired me in the past, so I will share my top 3 favorite portrait photography quotes real quick:
Audrey Hepburn
“The best thing about a picture is that it never changes, even when the people in it do.”
Audrey Hepburn
Well…quite logical, right? But it’s not just that, I think this quote really resembles the history and emotions that can be captured by photos. Even just plain random selfies. If you don’t believe me, have a look at one of my favorite Youtube videos of all time:
George Herbert
“The eyes have one language everywhere.”
George Herbert
I love this! Because it’s just so true. Imagine a profession like writing or a lawyer – they are only capable of doing their job because of language or culture. Not so for photographers. Photos can be understood by everyone, everybody, even by babies who can’t even speak in the first place.
Kinda makes me happy to think that even someday when all language and culture are lost – as long as photographs survive, future people will be able to understand what we had to say.
Ansel Adams
“You don’t make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.”
Ansel Adams
This quote shows that a photo is not just about the camera, the plain act of pressing a button and taking a photograph. It’s about everything that led to that moment: You pursuing photography in the first place, selecting the model, getting that pose, that perspective…that’s what photography is about. What this art is about!
So, all in all, I hope I could give you some inspiration with my favorites and the quotes in general. If you want to dive further into photography and our articles, here are some recommendations on must-reads!
Also, have a look at our Pinterest, to stay up-to-date with the latest photography trends!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an inspirational quote for portrait photography?
“Photography is the story I fail to put into words.” – This quote captures the essence of portrait photography as a powerful storytelling medium, where emotions and personalities are conveyed through imagery.
How can I add humor to my portrait captions with a quote?
“Life is like photography. You need the negatives to develop.” – Use this witty play on words to inject humor into your portrait captions, making them more engaging and relatable to your audience.
What are some powerful quotes for professional photographers?
“Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.” This quote by Henri Cartier-Bresson emphasizes the importance of practice and persistence in mastering the craft of photography.
Can you suggest a beautiful quote suitable for a portrait photo?
“A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.” – Annie Leibovitz’s words reflect the profound connection and empathy that a photographer can express through portraits.
What’s a good quote to include in my Instagram post featuring a portrait?
“In photography, there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.” – Alfred Stieglitz’s quote can lend a philosophical layer to your Instagram portrait post, intriguing your followers.
How do I choose the perfect caption for my photography on social media?
When selecting a caption, consider what emotion or message you want to convey. Is it joy, contemplation, or an artistic statement? Align your quote with the mood and context of the photograph to resonate with your viewers.
