Henry Peach Robinson Quotes

• It must be confessed that it takes considerable skill to produce the best kind of lies. It is in the hands of first-class photographers only - and perhaps the indifferent ones - that photography can lie.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Photography, Lying, Hands

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• A work of art is a work of order, and if the artist is to put the stamp of his own mind on his work, he must arrange, modify, and dispose of his materials so that they may appear in a more agreeable and beautiful manner than they would have assumed without his interference.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Beautiful, Art, Order

  8 Copy quote

• The aim and end of the artist is not truth exactly, much less fact; it is effect... There is no doubt he [the photographer] best gets his effect by way of truth, but he uses it as he would a servant, not a master.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Artist, Doubt, Use

  Henry Peach Robinson (1896). “The Elements of a Pictorial Photograph”

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• After some time passed in studying - and even imitating - the works of others, I would recommend the student to endeavour to be original, and to remember that originality should not be undiscovered plagiarism.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Creativity, Students, Originality

  18 Copy quote

• No departure from the truth of nature shall be discovered by the closest scrutiny.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Departure, Scrutiny, Closest

  Henry Peach Robinson (1869). “Pictorial Effect in Photography: Being Hints on Composition and Chiaro-oscuro for Photographers. To which is Added a Chapter on Combination Printing”, p.198

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• ... any dodge, or trick, or conjuration of any kind is open to the photographer's use so that it belongs to his art and is not false to nature. If the dodges, tricks, etc., lead the photographer astray, so much the worse for him; if they do not assist him to represent nature, he is not fit to use them. It is not the fault of the dodges, it is the fault of the bungler.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Art, Use, Etc

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• It is only by loving nature, and going to her for everything, that good work can be done; but then we must look to her for the materials for pictures, not for pictures themselves. It is nature filtered through the mind and fingers of the artist that produces art, and the quality of the pictures depends on the fineness of that filter.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Art, Loving Nature, Mind

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• It was soon evident in my lodgings that I had become a dangerous lunatic, and there would be nothing left to destroy if strong measures were not taken. So I was turned out of the house, but it was only into the garden, where I was allowed to build a small darkroom of oilcloth.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Strong, Taken, Garden

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• Look may be that everything is right, it is always best to have an inspection before marching. To forget a screw, if you have a loose one, and only discover your loss when you are miles from home and the view before you is "perfect", is to promote, possibly suicide, certainly profanity.

  Henry Peach Robinson

  Suicide, Home, Loss

  Henry Peach Robinson (2010). “Letters on Landscape Photography”, p.30, Hol Art Books

  4 Copy quote

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