I want my photographs not only to be real but to portray the essence of my subjects also. In order to do that, you have to be patient. Mary Ellen Mark More Quotes by Mary Ellen Mark More Quotes From Mary Ellen Mark I think you reveal yourself by what you choose to photograph, but I prefer photographs that tell more about the subject. There's nothing much interesting to tell about me; what's interesting is the person I'm photographing, and that's what I try to show. [...] I think each photographer has a point of view and a way of looking at the world... that has to do with your subject matter and how you choose to present it. What's interesting is letting people tell you about themselves in the picture. Mary Ellen Mark photographyviewsthinking To touch on people's lives [ in a way they ] haven't been touched on before, it´s fascianting. You know, it's one thing if [ a celebrity ] has an incredible character and you're really going to be able to delve into their personality – that's great. But you can never get real purity if people have been spoiled by the camera and don't trust you. I like feeling that I'm able to be a voice for those people who aren't famous, the people that don't have the great opportunities. Mary Ellen Mark realopportunitycharacter Every photograph is the photographer's opinion about something. It's how they feel about something: what they think is horrible, tragic, funny. Mary Ellen Mark feelthinkopinionfunny I've always been interested in photographing traditions and customs - especially in America. The prom is an American tradition, a rite of passage that has always been one of the most important rituals of American youth. It is a day in our lives that we never forget - a day full of hopes and dreams for our future. Mary Ellen Mark dreamsdayfutureyouth Looking at my own prom photograph reminds me of how significant that moment was - and how fleeting life is. Mary Ellen Mark lookingmemomentlife What you look for in a picture is a metaphor, something that means something more, that makes you think about things you've seen or thought about. Mary Ellen Mark picturelookthinkyou I love to photograph people in their own environment. It offers clues to what's important in their lives. Mary Ellen Mark environmentimportantlovepeople I'm most interested in finding the strangeness and irony in reality. That's my forte. Mary Ellen Mark findingmostironyreality I'm not much for cats. I'm terrified of mice. I've worked a lot with elephants, and they are extremely intelligent and sensitive, and thankfully, they seem to like me. You never want to get on the bad side of an elephant. And never trust a chimp. Mary Ellen Mark catsmeyoutrust I really knew when I started photographing I wanted it to be a way of knowing different cultures, not just in other countries but in this country, too, and I knew I wanted to be a voyeur. Mary Ellen Mark justdifferentcountryway I've always been fascinated by twins. In my forty years of photographing, whenever there was an opportunity, I would take a picture of twins. I found the notion that two people could appear to look exactly alike very compelling. Mary Ellen Mark picturelookopportunitypeople 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'm always on their side. I find them more human, maybe. What I want to do more than anything is acknowledge their existence. Mary Ellen Mark feelbestsocietypeople I think photography is closest to writing, not painting. It's closest to writing because you are using this machine to convey an idea. The image shouldn't need a caption; it should already convey an idea. Mary Ellen Mark thinkyoupaintingwriting
