Ruth Bernhard
Ruth Bernhard
Ruth Bernhardwas a German-born American photographer...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionPhotographer
Date of Birth14 October 1905
CountryGermany
work
I feel that is more important than my work, the influence I have on my students.
endorse image reverence timeless woman
To raise, to elevate, to endorse with timeless reverence the image of woman has been my mission.
allowed happened less life pursue pursued sort supposed
I allowed life to give me presents. And everything just sort of happened the way it was supposed to happen. I did not pursue anything. It more or less pursued me.
printer prints spent time
I was a very, very careful printer when I used 8-by-10 film. I probably spent more time on printing than anything else. The more the prints were appreciated, the more time I spent on them.
architecture close francisco ideal naturally oceans refresh san
To me... San Francisco is an ideal city, intellectually stimulating and naturally beautiful. The oceans and forests are close enough to refresh the spirit; the architecture is always exciting.
photography spiritual emotional
For me, the creation of a photograph is experienced as a heightened emotional response, most akin to poetry and music, each image the culmination of a compelling impulse I cannot deny. Whether working with a human figure or a still life, I am deeply aware of my spiritual connection with it. In my life, as in my work, I am motivated by a great yearning for balance and harmony beyond the realm of human experience, reaching for the essence of oneness with the Universe.
lonely responsibility spirit
Often I have struggled for days to get the image of the photograph to overlap the spirit I see. It is an awesome responsibility, and a lonely one.
looks photograph find-me
I never look for a photograph. The photograph finds me and says, I'm here! and I say, Yes, I see you. I hear you.
photography instinct
You have to follow your instinct all the time. Otherwise you don't make it.
photography photograph intellect
I expect photographs to find me. I never thought of looking for them. I instinctively put them there. My intellect had nothing to do with it.
photography real eye
What the human eye sees is an illusion of what is real. The black and white image transforms illusions into another reality.
photography inspiration light
Light is my inspiration. My photographic images search for dimensions that words cannot touch- the result of intense responses to personal experiences. I do not wish to "record," but rather to touch upon the illusive meanings which I perceive and try to comprehend in this limitless universe.
photography light giving
My quest, through the magic of light and shadow, is to isolate, to simplify and to give emphasis to form with the greatest clarity. To indicate the ideal proportion, to reveal sculptural mass and the dominating spirit is my goal.
photography weapons cameras
Never ever say the word shoot when you are taking a picture with a camera because a camera is not a violent weapon.