It is the unexpected and the surprise quality of a personal vision, rather than the emotion, which make people respond to a photograph.

When I say that a good picture has surprise quality or shock appeal, I do not mean that it is a loud or vulgar picture but, instead, that it stimulates my thinking and intrigues me.

If you know yourself, you are doomed.

It is the end result that counts.

When the novice photographer starts taking pictures, he carries his camera about and shoots everything that interests him. There comes a time when he must crystallize his ideas and set off in an particular direction. He must learn that shooting for the sake of shooting is dull and unprofitable.

It is the unexpected and the surprise quality of a personal vision, rather than the emotion, which make people respond to a photograph.

Outstanding past work in photography, and in fact in all the arts, is very important to today's photographers. But it should be used for inspiration and not for imitation. These works should be something to be built upon, not to be repeated.