Ruth Bernhard
Ruth Bernhard
Ruth Bernhardwas a German-born American photographer...
NationalityGerman
ProfessionPhotographer
Date of Birth14 October 1905
CountryGermany
life yes
I always say yes to everything because I always feel that whatever comes my way, life meant for me.
became good took
I never took a photograph. Instead, I became a good listener.
work
I feel that is more important than my work, the influence I have on my students.
people
I look at ordinary objects, and I see things that other people don't see. That's why I'm a photographer.
art understood
I understood the craft of photography when done by an artist is art.
beauty
I've always photographed beauty, but I've never been beautiful myself.
beauty chosen exploited form
If I have chosen the female form in particular, it is because beauty has been debased and exploited in our sensual 20th century.
life
Seeing comes from the inside, from the heart, from life's experiences.
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.
catch early learned models
I learned early on that if I was to get attention, I would have to be charming. Even the models I've photographed are often like that. Some of them are not beautiful. But, if you catch them in the right light, they glow.
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.
anywhere artists famous knew natural quite seemed
When I was young, anywhere I would go in Germany, I would see my father's posters. Everyone knew about him. And he had many friends who were artists who were also quite famous. So, for me, it seemed very natural to be an artist and be known.