The Photojournalist: Mary Ellen Mark & Annie Liebovitz

by Adrianne Marcus (text), Mary Ellen Mark (photography), Annie Liebovitz (photography)

Book by Marcus , Adrianne

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

Reviews

[Kandise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was published in 1974 and I need to bear that in mind when cringing over sentences like an old photograph of Mary Ellen Mark "showed the results of a metamorphosis from an awkward girl of 14 who wore braces to an All-American beauty complete with boyfriends..." and "If Mary Ellen and Annie seem a far cry from the stereotyped image of the photojournalist laden with technical knowledge..." and "Perhaps it would be wrong to say Annie Leibovitz and Mary Ellen Mark are photojournalists despite being women..."

The 70s were sexist af, thanks for the reminder of the working conditions for these women. The photos are good, the text is easy-reading magazine-style conversational (perhaps done for the benefit of my pretty little head?), the layout makes sense, the conceit is... well certainly at times it seems ALL Leibovitz and Mark have in common is both being female photographers, but the compare-and-contrast of their approaches is interesting.

I waffled back and forth on "it was ok" and "I liked it" and ultimately decided not to hold its era against it.

[Luigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The emotions and the images

[Jessica Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/4