The Discipline of Curiosity

Lessons from Lynne Cohen on the art of looking closer

I’ve always admired the photography of the late Lynne Cohen. Cohen sought out the austere, inexplicable interior spaces that most architectural photographers would never think to notice. Much high-end interior photography presents itself with such clarity that it answers nearly every question at first glance. Cohen’s work does the opposite. It leaves so much unresolved, and the pleasure of the image lies in the questions it compels the viewer to ask: what exactly am I looking at, and what story does this space hold?

Is there a lesson here for the professional photographer? Perhaps. At the very least, Cohen reminds us that curiosity matters as much as technique. A photographer willing to look beyond the obvious can make even the most ordinary space feel compelling.