Carol Friedman Quotes

I think my most favorite subject was Lena Horne, because she embodies soul and grace and elegance and 'street'. She embodies everything. And beauty — great beauty.

I don't photograph anyone if I can't meet with them first because if I don't do that, then they're just going to the dentist and they're filled with fear. They don't know who I am.

My days are kind of controlled by my projects, so sometimes they're album covers. Sometimes they're commission portrait shoots. Sometimes they are editorial, so it kind of - I don't dictate it.

I think that people have to just go with their gut and follow their passion if they're photographers.

When people warn me about someone - the label head or the publishing head - that somebody is difficult, I'm in heaven.

Giving someone their style or bumping up their sense of style to be a better version of what it is, is part of the fun of what I do, and I actually approached Al Sharpton. They didn't come to me.

I think that people get into trouble when they photograph something that they... that is not in their world. It's like when they say "write what you know."

There are certain people that you don't have to even work at extracting their inner life. It is just there and they're happy to share it with you.

I guess I'm half traditionalist, half modern girl and I just never... I love the digital world and I love electronica and after I shoot everything is digital, but I just... I don't know.

I love my cameras. I love contact sheets. I love the visceral thing of film and I'm not positive that I can replicate my lighting digitally. My assistants tell me I can, but, just stubborn I guess.

You know a photo session is really a dance and making sure that they're comfortable and for me it's the music, the music, the music. That is everything.

So sometimes it is an outright manipulation like that, but most of the time I'm just, I'm creating a mood that is a place of comfort for the person and a way for our dialogue to be more fluid.

Everyone hates their picture being taken and they're nervous and they're bringing all of that. When I meet with them they realize it is a collaboration and they look forward to coming back.