Whilst this photo of mine is not a great image, it is a good image.

“A good image is created by a state of grace. Grace expresses itself when it has been freed from conventions, free like a child in his early discovery of reality. The game is then to organize the rectangle.”

– Sergio Larrain

I have just discovered the photographic work of Sergio Larrain. Born in Chile in 1931 (d.2012), Sergio produced some stunning street photography . Later in his life he retreated to live in a Chilean mountain village where he studied meditation and calligraphy.

Larraín’s relevance today lies not only in the beauty of his work, but in the example of his refusal. He challenged the premise that artistic success requires public recognition, continuous output, or self-promotion. He showed that the creative act can be a form of inner life rather than public spectacle.

As photography evolves into a performative medium defined by visibility, Larraín remains a counterpoint: a master who sought anonymity, a visionary who chose silence, a documenter of the world who decided to step outside it.

His images remind us that photography is not about documenting what we see. It is about noticing what others miss. They invite a slower gaze. They reward patience. They whisper rather than shout.

Larraín did not set out to become an icon. But by turning away from the world, he helped define its visual memory.

—Cassacarlini.com

You can check out some of Sergio Larrain’s work here. And some more here.