“There is only one optimist. He has been here since man has been on this earth, and that is man himself. If we hadn't had such a magnificent optimism to carry us through all these things, we wouldn't be here. We have survived it on our optimism.”
Author details
Related authors
Other Edward Steichen Quotes
Photography is a major force in explaining man to man.
Edward Steichen 
60% of people like this quote
Once you really commence to see things, then you really commence to feel things.
Edward Steichen
57% of people like this quote
Every other artist begins with a blank canvas, a piece of paper the photographer begins with the finished product.
Edward Steichen
54% of people like this quote
When I first became interested in photography, I thought it was the whole cheese. My idea was to have it recognized as one of the fine arts. Today I don't give a hoot in hell about that. The mission of photography is to explain man to man and each man to himself.
Edward Steichen
53% of people like this quote