In my view, this Degas quotes about painting could be applied to photography

“It is very good to copy what one sees ; it is much better to draw what you can’t see any more but is in your memory. It is a transformation in which imagination and memory work together. You only reproduce what struck you, that is to say the necessary.”

“A painting requires a little mystery, some vagueness, and some fantasy. When you always make your meaning perfectly plain you end up boring people.”

“I assure you no art was ever less spontaneous than mine. What I do is the result of reflection and study of the great masters ; of inspiration, spontaneity, temperament — temperament is the word — I know nothing.”

“A painting requires a little mystery, some vagueness, and some fantasy. When you always make your meaning perfectly plain you end up boring people.”

I endorse this quotes with replacing painting by photo.