Learning From the Masters – Andre Kertesz

“Learning from the Masters” is a regular series where I share useful lessons and wisdom we can learn from others, regardless of their medium. The important thing for me is how we can apply these lessons to photography, and to our lives as creative individuals.

“If you want to write you should learn the alphabet. You write and write and in the end you hava a beautiful, perfect alphabet. But it isn’t the alphabed that is important. The important thing is what you are writing, what you are expressing. The same thing goes for photography. Photographs can be technically perfect and even beautiful, but they have no expression.” – Andre Kertesz

Andre Kertesz was one of the great photographers of the 20th century. He is best known for his poetic vision, unorthodox approach to compositoon and the photoessay. Watch a great BBC video on Kertesz below. Never mind whether the subjects he photographed are your cup of tea, his approach and wisdom on the art of photography is worth contemplating for a long time.

Others on Kertesz

“We all owe something to Kertesz.” – Bresson

“Andre Kertesz has two qualities which are essential for a great photographer. An insatiable curiosity about life, and a precise sense of form.” – Brassai