Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Moment | VCP Book of the Week

Book of the Week | Episode 34: Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Moment In this series, Aperture Foundation works with the world’s top photographers to distill their creative approaches, teachings, and insights on photography, offering the workshop experience in a book. Their goal is to inspire photographers of all levels who wish to improve their work, as well as readers interested in deepening their understanding of the art of photography. Each volume is introduced by a well-known student of the featured photographer. In this book, Mary Ellen Mark – well-known for her pictures’ emotional power, be they of people or animals – offers her insight into observing the world and capturing dramatic moments that reveal more than the reality at hand. Through words and pictures, she shares her own creative process and discusses a wide range of issues, from gaining the trust of the subject and taking pictures that are controlled but unforced to organizing the frame so that every part contributes toward telling the story. ——- Rachel Boettcher is passionate about photography in many of its different forms and loves sharing that enthusiasm with anyone who has an interest. This is why she is excited to be the Program Director at In-Sight Photography Project. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Community Health Education and has a background in event and project management. She has also been a professional photographer for the past 20 years, shooting everything from portraits and weddings to working at the US Air Force Academy as a base photographer to working with plastic surgeons, working on cruise ships, and working with the police. She loves a new photographic challenge whenever the opportunity arises. Personally, she enjoys macro photography and capturing anything with a personality. You can see more of her work at www.LifeSketchPhotography.com Rachel and her fiancé, Dave, moved to Vermont from Austin, Texas, in 2021 with their rescued, spoiled dog, Mara, and are loving it. They are currently planning their wedding, and have adopted a 9-year-old boy, who is also being spoiled. ------ ✨ Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss future episodes of Book of the Week! About the Vermont Center for Photography: The Vermont Center for Photography (VCP) is a nonprofit organization based in Brattleboro, Vermont, dedicated to promoting the photographic arts through exhibitions, education, and community engagement. We offer: Rotating exhibitions featuring regional, national, and international artists A publicly accessible library of 1,600+ photography books A black-and-white darkroom and digital lab open to the public Educational programs, workshops, and private tutorials for all skill levels PhotoThrift, our one-of-a-kind thrift store for vintage camera gear. Find out more at www.photothrift.org Focus Forward, a program offering free photo classes for individuals in addiction recovery Our mission is to foster dialogue, encourage inquiry, and create a welcoming community where people can explore and celebrate the power of photography. 📸 Learn more, become a member, or support our work: www.vcphoto.org Follow us on Instagram @vcpbrattleboro and @photothriftvcp