Blog 8: Mary Ellen Mark

    Mary Ellen Mark was an American photographer. She created books, exhibitions, and did editorial magazine work. She spent most of her life traveling and taking photos. During her lifetime, she received many awards for her work. Many of her photos tell a story. Whether it's the way the subject is positioned or what's included in the image, there's a sense of who that person is in every photo. 

  I like the variety in her work. Some photos are posed while others are simply capturing a moment as it happens in real life. The image below is from her work with the "Indian Circus." Within this single image she captured who these people are and what they do. I like that their gazes aren't on Mark or the camera, rather to the side, like they're watching something else. When I think about a circus, I imagine it being busy, for example people everywhere, and various concessions. Here, the background is simple, part of a tent and the ground, it allows the viewer's focus to remain on the two girls. 

    I consider some movements to be art, this included because I think of art as a way to express one's creativity, personality, and true self and I feel as though these people are doing that. I like when people include other art forms in their art, especially photography. While sometimes it just captures a moment, other times I think it allows people to see something in a new way. Not only is there time to look at every aspect of what's going on, but the focus can be drawn to something else based on how a photo was printed or edited. With this image specifically, I like that I can study their expressions whereas if I were to see them do this in person I would simply acknowledge what they're doing. Their expressions are calm yet focused, serious but somewhat relaxed.