Mary Ellen Mark

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

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

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

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

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

“I want to be a historical witness.”

“Reality is always extraordinary.”

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

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

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

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

“The photographer's eye is perpetually evaluating.”

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

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