Elliott Erwitt
Elliott Erwitt
Elliott Erwittis an advertising and documentary photographer known for his black and white candid shots of ironic and absurd situations within everyday settings— a master of Henri Cartier-Bresson's "decisive moment"...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPhotographer
Date of Birth26 July 1928
CountryFrance
morning interesting cameras
When I get up in the morning I brush my teeth and go about my business, and if I am going anywhere interesting I take my camera along.
leica requirements cameras
I don't really have a favorite camera. I use a Leica and Canon a lot. It depends, especially professionally, on the requirements. But my carry-around camera is a Leica.
photography thinking cameras
The thing is that when you don't carry a camera, that's when you see pictures in particular, or at least that's when you think you see pictures in particular. When you do carry it, if you do see one on the occasion that you do, you can take it.
cameras best-things happens
The best things happen when you just happen to be somewhere with a camera.
photography home cameras
Nothing happens when you sit at home. I always make it a point to carry a camera with me at all times...I just shoot at what interests me at that moment.
awful display displaying lighting money museums stuff worst
The most awful museums are in China. They have magnificent stuff on display and just the worst way of displaying it. They just don't spend money on lighting and installation.
changed evolved except pictures
Professionally I've evolved with what's required, but the pictures I do for pleasure haven't changed, except for the cars in the background, the clothing. I haven't changed at all.
almost blow carry horns portraits sort taking trick
It's almost embarrassing, but I do have one trick for taking portraits on commission. I carry one of these little bicycle horns in my pocket, and once in a while, when someone is sour-faced or stiff, I blow my horn. It sort of shatters the barriers. It's silly, but it works.
contact good likely none ratio several shots taking
The ratio of successful shots is one in God-knows-how-many. Sometimes you'll get several in one contact sheet, and sometimes it's none for days. But as long as you go on taking pictures, you're likely to get a good one at some point.
although best books collection pictures presenting specific work
Making books is a very specific kind of activity. It's not really a collection of your best pictures - although it is - but it's also a way of presenting your work so that it's not repetitive, so that it flows, and so that it makes sense in a book.
thinking editors long
I've been around so long, most editors think I'm dead.
photography eye simple
Something catches your eye, or your interest. You attack it in some way or observe it in some way, and try to put it in some kind of form and take a picture. It's as simple as that.
photography want position
Working myself into a position of total versatility, so that I can do anything I want to do at the time I want to do it. Whether I do it or not is another question.
quality intention
Quality … has to do with intention.