Mary Ellen Mark „On the Portrait and the Moment” wyd. aperture

Mary Ellen Mark „On the Portrait and the Moment” wyd. aperture

Mary Ellen Mark died on May 25, 2015. Shortly before her death, she completed all the work on what would sadly become the last two books conceived and realized by her: Tiny: Streetwise Revisited and Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Moment as featured here. Both books were printed just before she died.

In The Photography Workshop Series, Aperture Foundation works with the world’s top photographers to distill their creative approaches, teachings, and insights on photography— offering the workshop experience in a book. Our goal is to inspire photographers of all levels who wish to improve their work, as well as readers interested in deepening their understanding of the art of photography. Each volume is introduced by a well-known student of the featured photographer.

In this book, Mary Ellen Mark—well-known for her pictures’ emotional power, be they of people or animals—offers her insight on observing the world and capturing dramatic moments that reveal more than the reality at hand. Through words and pictures, she shares her own creative process and discusses a wide range of issues, from gaining the trust of the subject and taking pictures that are controlled but unforced, to organizing the frame so that every part contributes toward telling the story.

Mary Ellen Mark (1940-2015), born in Philadelphia, earned a BFA at the University of Pennsylvania and an MA at that university’s Annenberg School for Communication. Among her honors and awards are a Fulbright Scholarship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Cornell Capa Award, and five honorary doctorates. Her work has been exhibited worldwide and has appeared in numerous publications, including LIFE, the New York Times Magazine, and the New Yorker. She has produced sixteen books, including American Odyssey (1999), Twins (2003), Exposure (2005), Seen Behind the Scene (2009), and Prom (2012).