Mary Ellen Mark
“You don't need to retouch if you know how to light.”
Mary Ellen Mark (1940-2015) was an American documentary photographer known for her compelling black-and-white images that captured the lives of people living on the margins of society. Her empathetic approach to photography and her ability to connect with her subjects enabled her to produce intimate and powerful images that have left a lasting impression on the world of photography.
Early Life and Career
Mary Ellen Mark was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1940. She developed an interest in photography during her high school years and later studied painting and art history at the University of Pennsylvania. She eventually earned a Master's degree in photojournalism from the Annenberg School for Communication at the same university.
In the 1960s, Mark began her career as a freelance photographer, working for various publications, including Life, Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker. Over the years, she received numerous awards for her work, including three Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, the World Press Photo Award, and the Infinity Award for Journalism.
Photographic Style and Techniques
Mark's documentary photography style was characterized by her ability to connect with her subjects, often spending extended periods with them to gain their trust and capture their true emotions. She focused on people living on the fringes of society, including the homeless, drug addicts, and sex workers.
Her black-and-white images were marked by strong contrast and a rich tonal range, which emphasized the emotions and expressions of her subjects. Mark was also known for using medium-format cameras, primarily the Rolleiflex, which allowed her to achieve a high level of detail and clarity in her images.
Career Highlights
Some of Mary Ellen Mark's most significant projects include:
"Ward 81" (1976): A series documenting the lives of female patients at the Oregon State Mental Hospital.
"Falkland Road" (1981): A body of work capturing the lives of sex workers in Mumbai, India.
"Streetwise" (1983): A project focused on the lives of homeless children in Seattle, which was later turned into an Academy Award-nominated documentary film.
"Twins" (2003): A series of portraits of identical twins taken at the Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg, Ohio.
Photography Gear
In her quest for unique imagery, Mark employs a diverse range of equipment, from 35mm to large-format 4x5 cameras. She often uses the Leica M6 TTL rangefinder and Canon EOS-IN with various lenses for her 35mm work, while occasionally opting for the Hasselblad X-Pan. For medium format photography, Mark works with Hasselblad and Mamiya 7 cameras. When it comes to 4x5 equipment, she prefers Linhof with 120- or 135mm lenses. Mark enjoys switching between systems to capitalize on their distinct capabilities.
Published Photo Books
"Ward 81: Voices" by Mary Ellen Mark and Karen Folger Jacobs: This powerful book documents the lives of women in Ward 81, a maximum-security ward in the Oregon State Hospital. Through her empathetic and honest photographs, Mary Ellen Mark captures the daily reality of these women, while Karen Folger Jacobs provides insightful interviews and observations.
"Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Moment: The Photography Workshop Series": In this book, Mary Ellen Mark shares her insights on portrait photography, including the importance of the moment and the emotional connection between the photographer and subject. The book offers valuable tips and techniques, as well as a selection of her iconic portraits.
"Seen Behind the Scene" by Mary Ellen Mark: This collection features Mark's behind-the-scenes photographs from various film sets, showcasing her unique ability to capture the essence of movie-making. The book offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of cinema through the eyes of one of the most celebrated documentary photographers.
"Mary Ellen Mark: Tiny, Streetwise Revisited": This book revisits the subjects of Mark's earlier "Streetwise" series, focusing on Tiny, a young girl living on the streets of Seattle. The book documents her life over three decades, offering a poignant exploration of the impact of poverty and addiction.
"Mary Ellen Mark: An American Odyssey 1963-1999": This comprehensive retrospective showcases the breadth and depth of Mark's work, featuring her iconic images from around the world. The book highlights her ability to connect with her subjects and capture the human experience in a compassionate and honest manner.
"Falkland Road" by Mary Ellen Mark: This groundbreaking book documents the lives of the women working in the red-light district of Bombay, India. Through her intimate and compassionate photographs, Mark offers a rare glimpse into their daily lives, providing a moving portrayal of resilience and humanity.
Quotes
"The obsessions we have are pretty much the same our whole lives. Mine are people, the human condition, life."
"I'm just interested in people on the edges. I feel an affinity for people who haven't had the best breaks in society."
"I've always been interested in photographing people who are not part of the mainstream."
"The most difficult thing for me is a portrait. You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and their shirt."
"To take a photograph is to align the head, the eye, and the heart. It's a way of life."
Legacy and Influence
Mary Ellen Mark's photography has had a profound impact on the field of documentary photography, inspiring generations of photographers to explore the lives of marginalized individuals and communities. Her ability to connect with her subjects on a deeply emotional level has set a high standard for empathetic and compassionate storytelling in the world of photography.
Other notable photographers with similar style are: Diane Arbus, Dorothea Lange, Susan Meiselas, and Sebastião Salgado. These photographers, like Mark, have focused on capturing the human condition and the lives of people who are often overlooked or marginalized by society.
Throughout her career, Mary Ellen Mark not only documented the lives of people living on the fringes of society, but she also used her photography as a tool for raising awareness about social issues and advocating for change. Her work has left a lasting legacy, inspiring photographers around the world to approach their subjects with empathy, respect, and an unyielding commitment to telling the truth.
What is an iconic picture? Is it a picture that other photographers worship? Or perhaps it is a timeless photo? What does it actually take to make a picture that has such an impact on viewers it becomes iconic?