Storytelling by photos
I took this picture when I went to visit one of the families that I did get to meet. I rang the doorbell, and Christopher came out with his kitten to greet me. I was taken by how much Christopher and the kitten appeared to be the same person.
- Mary Ellen Mark, on an assignment covering poverty in America.
One of the tricks was for his dogs to beg with cigarettes in their jaws.
- Mary Ellen Mark, from one of her many visits to India
Marry Ellen Mark is an exceptional photographer whose work has been well renowned for addressing difficult social issues across the world: poverty, prostitution, addiction, homelessness, etc.
The pictures above are from a collection called Exposure - a collection of the most iconic pieces from her life’s work selected by Mary herself. These pictures are accompanied by author’s words on the circumstances in which these pictures were taken (click the images to read them).
For a complete list of these images, visit here.


