Final Photography Project - Mary Ellen Mark

Savannah Grisoglio

 After learning about the American photographer, Mary Ellen Mark, I was inspired by the photographers work and style of her work. She is known for her photojournalism, portraits, and advertising which is something I am really interested in. I choose Mary Ellen Mark's photography because after seeing her photograph, "Amanda and Her Cousin, Amy Valdese, North California," it inspired me. It was such an amazing photography that it made me really appreciate her style of work. I like Mary Ellen Marks work mainly because it shows social issues that are common throughout the United States in the colors of black and white making the images more dramatic and showing more concern of the issues she is trying to put out. This artist I believe is the most effective within the genre of documentary photography because a lot of her work is done as portraits of people or certain things, like said before, portray social issues that should be brought to peoples attention throughout the United States. Mary Ellen Mark's photography is very unique and displays a photograph that speaks for itself, in my attempt to recreate her stylistic approach it will be similar in the way of the color of black and white and the general idea of her social issues that she recreates in the people she photographs. My photographs will be different in the way that my images will be more modern and new while some of her images look older and experiencing events that are not as common anymore. Other than the change of time within the photographs and the usage of only one person to document in different events and styles, my images will be pretty similar to the work of Mary Ellen Mark.

My photographs explore the black and white color that Mary Ellen Mark uses in most of her photography as well as the social issues or sadness or troubles within people that she uses to portray certain themes or events that occur throughout the United States.