Mary Ellen Mark

“I'm always looking for something that is a little bit strange or different. I am interested in what is not normal.”

“I don't think you can be a great photographer if you're not passionate about your subject.”

“I'm just interested in people on the outside. That's my mission in life.”

“The photographer's eye is perpetually evaluating.”

“Reality is always extraordinary.”

“Find something you are passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”

“You have to be obsessed. It's not something you can just do. It has to be your life.”

“I want to be a historical witness.”

“I think you have to be tough and know what you want.”

“Sometimes I can't find the words to describe my feelings. That's when I turn to my camera.”

“I am a documentary photographer. That's what I've always wanted to be; that's where my heart and soul is.”

“I feel an affinity for people who haven't had the best breaks in society.”

“Photography has been my way of bearing witness to the world.”

“It's not looking for the perfect image. It's looking for an honest image.”