Federico Fellini on the set of Satyricon, Rome 1969
Federico Fellini on the set of Satyricon, Rome 1969
October 30, 2020
Considered one of the most important photojournalist of her time, Mary Ellen Mark (1940-2015) photographed both touching subjects and series, as well as exceptional individual motifs. During her long career, the photographer spent over forty years taking pictures on film sets. A wonderful, three-volume, book collection covering her life’s work, The Book of Everything (Steidl), has recently been published: it includes many of her iconic pictures of actors and directors, as well as film-set snapshots that reveal her great capacity for observation. Concerning this picture of Italian director Federico Fellini, the photographer shared many of her memories:
“When I started working as a stills photographer on film sets, there was a lot more freedom than there is today; the set was an atmospheric place. There was something great and exciting about seeing a director on set or behind a camera. I would often have several weeks of free access to photograph everything behind the scenes.
Fellini is one of my favourite directors. His sense of story, drama, imagination, camera, lighting, costume, and set design is unmatched. Fellini’s world was extraordinary; every day something amazing would happen. Sometimes he would get very excited and yell at everyone in sight. And then he would apologize.
Fellini was wonderful in front of the camera. This picture of him with the megaphone was taken as he supervised a new set being built. Even though this picture is shot from behind it is still very much a portrait of Fellini.
This picture captures very much who Fellini was. He seems to be dancing gracefully, exactly like one of his characters in his films. This was just one moment, one frame, but it speaks to something larger, which is why it has become iconic. I always tell people, “You don’t have to shoot so many pictures; just wait for the moment.” (All quotes taken from Mary Ellen Mark: On the Portrait and the Moment, Aperture 2015)
The current issue (8/2020) of the LFI magazine presents a selection of pictures by the classic Leica photographer.
“When I started working as a stills photographer on film sets, there was a lot more freedom than there is today; the set was an atmospheric place. There was something great and exciting about seeing a director on set or behind a camera. I would often have several weeks of free access to photograph everything behind the scenes.
Fellini is one of my favourite directors. His sense of story, drama, imagination, camera, lighting, costume, and set design is unmatched. Fellini’s world was extraordinary; every day something amazing would happen. Sometimes he would get very excited and yell at everyone in sight. And then he would apologize.
Fellini was wonderful in front of the camera. This picture of him with the megaphone was taken as he supervised a new set being built. Even though this picture is shot from behind it is still very much a portrait of Fellini.
This picture captures very much who Fellini was. He seems to be dancing gracefully, exactly like one of his characters in his films. This was just one moment, one frame, but it speaks to something larger, which is why it has become iconic. I always tell people, “You don’t have to shoot so many pictures; just wait for the moment.” (All quotes taken from Mary Ellen Mark: On the Portrait and the Moment, Aperture 2015)
The current issue (8/2020) of the LFI magazine presents a selection of pictures by the classic Leica photographer.