PROFOTO VIDEO: Mary Ellen Mark on Iconic Images
February 23, 2012
Ron Egatz
It’s not every day you get to hang out with a living legend of the
photographic world and watch her do what she does best. That’s exactly
what we were fortunate enough to do when we spent a day in Tompkins
Square Park with an icon of documentary photography,
Mary Ellen Mark.
Mark likes to return to places she’s shot before, which gives her
perspective, she feels. Shooting new subjects in familiar locations,
along with people she’s shot before, populate her work with both a
continuity and the hallmark of time. While at the park, it was clear dog
owners knew her, and had been photographed by the iconic shooter in the
past. She knew several of their pets by name.
We also spent a day in her Soho studio discussing photography. When a
photographer with Mark’s experience and accolades shares her thoughts
on the art, shooters take notice. I had previously written an exhaustive
piece on Mark’s career for the
Mamiya blog. This time was different.
Not interested in rehashing the past or discussing gear in great
detail, Mark was interested in speaking about what makes an iconic
image—one that transcends language, borders, and time. She also gave us
her thoughts on the state of documentary photography today, and how it
has changed over the course of her career. Perhaps most importantly, she
tells young shooters interested in becoming documentary photographers
about the difficulties of the current marketplace, but stresses what
ultimately matters. “If you really want to do it, then you must do it
because you’ll never forgive yourself for not doing something you cared
about or believed in,” she says.
During our two days with her, Mary Ellen Mark shot a
Mamiya 7 II camera with a 55mm and 65mm lens. She used Kodak Tri-X 400 film. Her lighting was provided by a
Profoto AcuteB 600 Air and an
AcuteB Head. She also used a
Profoto Zoom Reflector.
You can see more of Mary Ellen Mark’s work at
her site. You can also view this video on the
Profoto site,
YouTube and
Vimeo.
Written by Ron Egatz
Fredrik Franzén
