Top Philippe Halsman Quotes

Philippe Halsman Biography

Philippe Halsman (Latvian: Filips Halsmans, German: Philipp Halsmann; 2 May 1906 – 25 June 1979) was an American portrait photographer. He was born in Riga in the part of the Russian Empire which later became Latvia, and died in New York City.

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Philippe Halsman Quotes

Dali likes me taking his picture because he is interested in pictures that do not simply reproduce reality. Even in photos he prefers to appear outside reality. That is surrealistic!

Interested, Likes, Picture, Reality, Surrealistic, Taking

A true portrait should, today and a hundred years from today, the Testimony of how this person looked and what kind of human being he was

Hundred, Portraits, Testimony, Today, Years

Of the thousands of people, celebrated and unknown, who have sat before my camera, I am often asked who was the most difficult subject, or the easiest, or which picture is my favorite. This last question is like asking a mother which child she likes the most

Children, Easiest, Mother, People, Picture

Herein lies the main objective of portraiture and also its main difficulty. The photographer probes for the innermost. The lens sees only the surface. . . .

Lenses, Lying, Photographer, Portraiture, Sees, Surface

I know of few actresses who have this incredible talent for communicating with a camera lens. She would try to seduce a camera as if it were a human being.

Cameras, Incredible, Lenses, Seduce, Talent, Trying

[Revealing character] can't be done by pushing the person into position or arranging his head at a certain angle. It must be accomplished by provoking the victim, amusing him with jokes, lulling him with silence, or asking impertinent questions which his best friend would be afraid to voice.

Character, Done, Friend, Provoking, Silence, Voice

The immortal photographers will be straightforward photographers, those who do not rely on tricks or special techniques.

Photographer, Photographers, Special, Straightforward, Technique, Techniques

I am often asked which picture is my favorite. This is like asking a mother which child she likes the most.

Asking, Child, Children, Mother

A good portrait is incredibly hard to create, there is too much temptation to pander to the individual rather than portray them as they really were

Incredibly, Individual, Portraits, Temptation, Too Much

In my serious work I am striving for the essence of things and for goals which are possibly unobtainable. On the other hand, everything humorous has great attraction for me, and a childish streak leads me into all kinds of frivolous endeavour.

Endeavour, Essence, Hands, Humorous, Leads

Marilyn was history's most phenomenal love goddess.

God Love, Goddess, Love, Marilyn, Phenomenal

This fascination with the human face has never left me. . . Every face I see seems to hide and sometimes, fleetingly, to reveal the mystery of another human being. . . Capturing this revelation became the goal and passion of my life.

Fascination, Goal, Passion, Reveal, See

The word "photography" can be interpreted as "writing with light" or "drawing with light. " Some photographers are producing beautiful photographs by drawing with light. . Some other photographers are trying to tell something with their photographs. They are writing with light.

Beautiful, Interpreted, Photography, Producing, Writing

The head of the photographer is more important than his camera

Camera, Cameras, Head, Important, Photographer

Philippe Halsman Biography

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