The photographer Mary Ellen Mark has achieved worldwide success through her many books, exhibitions and editorial magazine work. Her work has been featured in many highly successful magazines, including LIFE, New York Times magazine, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. Although her editorial work has contributed highly to her success, I am fascinated by her documentary photography, that reflects the high degree of realism that she wanted to achieve.
She spent many years in India, exploring circuses, brothels and documenting the life of Mother Teresa. I have shown photos from her times spent with the circus, as the interaction between the humans and animals is incredible. Seeing a human stand so still and calm next to a raging Hippo seems so crazy, yet shows perhaps a sadder side of the circus, whereby animals are not free to act upon their natural instincts. The photograph of the dogs looks quite comical and cute, yet it is actually quite sad to see them putting on a show like this. Perhaps this is why Mary Ellen Mark has chosen to have these photos in black and white, rather than showing the colourful and fun surroundings.
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