Yousuf Karsh

“If it's a good portrait, it will always be 'now'.”

“There is a brief moment when all that there is in a man's mind and soul and spirit may be reflected in his face.”

“Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.”

“The endless quest of the photographer is to capture a single instant, a moment, when a soul is exposed.”

“If I succeed in making a picture that is not just a superficial likeness but a true portrait, it is because I have been able to share a moment of the subject’s life.”

“Making a portrait is a collaboration. It is not just me taking a picture. It is a shared experience.”

“Within every man and woman a secret is hidden, and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can.”

“The art is to have the subject forget the camera. And to forget yourself.”

“I am working with the most unforgiving of all mediums - light.”

“Character, like a photograph, develops in darkness.”

“I have found that great people do have in common... an immense belief in themselves and in their mission.”

“The search for greatness of spirit is an inspiring task.”

“My chief joy is to photograph the great in heart, in mind, and in spirit, whether they be famous or humble.”