Mary Ellen Mark (1940–2015) was a renowned American photographer celebrated for her compassionate and intimate portraits of people living on society’s margins—from street children in Seattle to circus performers, mental hospital patients, and twin festivals. A Format for Every Story 35 mm Street & Documentary Work Started with analog film: Kodak Brownie at age 9, then Leica M-series rangefinders (e.g., M6 TTL ) and Canon EOS-1N with wide angles (24mm–35mm). Leica M6 She favored 35 mm for fast-moving, immersive street or reportage work—pre-focusing at common distances for rapid response and discretion. Medium Format (6×6 & 6×7) for Portraiture and Formal Essays Employed Hasselblad bodies (often with 60mm lens) and Mamiya 7 with 43/50/65 mm focal lengths. Mamiya 7 Medium format allowed her to build slower, more considered portraits—each frame weighted with presence and visual clarity. Large Format & Polaroid 20×24 ≈ Monumental Projects For amb...
"The camera is an instrument that teaches people to see without a camera" - Dorothea Lange