I suffered evils, but without allowing them to rob me of the freedom to expand.

I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs. I knew at that point I had to have a camera.

The guy who takes a chance, who walks the line between the known and unknown, who is unafraid of failure, will succeed.

I feel it is the heart, not the eye, that should determine the content of the photograph. What the eye sees is its own. What the heart can perceive is a very different matter.

Enthusiasm is the electricity of life. How do you get it? You act enthusiastic until you make it a habit.

At first I wasn't sure that I had the talent, but I did know I had a fear of failure, and that fear compelled me to fight off anything that might abet it.

Nothing came easy. I was just born with a need to explore every part of my mind. And with long searching and hard work, I became devoted to my restlessness.

You have a 45mm automatic pistol on your lap, and I have a 35mm camera on my lap, and my weapon is just as powerful as yours. (To Black Panther militant Eldridge Cleaver)

I picked up a camera because it was my choice of weapons against what I hated most about the universe: racism, intolerance, poverty.

If you don't have anything to say, your photographs aren't going to say much.

The subject matter is so much more important than the photographer.

If you put gratitude at the center of your life, one day you will find it has completely taken over.

So he earns your undying love by reading a book under a tree?" Cole said dryly. "Why didn't I ever try that approach? I like books and trees.

Hewas beautiful. I know, it’s not the manliest way to describe a guy, but inmy head, it was the adjective I used most often and it fit him to a tee.

The American people are sheep. They're comfortable, rich, working. It's like the Romans, they're happy with bread and their spectator sports. The Super Bowl means more to them than any right.

It's about time we stopped buying things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like.

It would be thrilling, obviously, to be able to have a woman and an openly LGBT person as the mayor of New York City.

We're going to take care of our military - the people in our military, the finest people we have.

Real spirituality and love is always manifest. It always goes to those who are with us and around us.

I’ve got one shot going through this life. I want to make sure I do as much as I can.

Always observe your opponent carefully. You need to use the first seconds of every encounter to evaluate the length of their blade, the length of their arms, etc.