--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I’m just interested in people on the…" description: "\"I’m just interested in people on the edges. I feel an affinity for people who haven’t had the best breaks in society. What I want to do more than anyth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/mary-ellen-mark-8293_acknowledge_i-m-just-interested-in-people-on-the-edg_2758635.png" --- # I’m just interested in people on the edges. I feel an… ![“I’m just interested in people on the edges. I feel an affinity for people who haven’t had the best breaks in society. What I want to do more than anything is acknowledge their existence.” quote by Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/mary-ellen-mark-8293_acknowledge_i-m-just-interested-in-people-on-the-edg_2758635.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/mary-ellen-mark-8293_acknowledge_i-m-just-interested-in-people-on-the-edg_2758635.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7da/mary-ellen-mark-8293_acknowledge_i-m-just-interested-in-people-on-the-edg_2758635.png) > “I’m just interested in people on the edges. I feel an affinity for people who haven’t had the best breaks in society. What I want to do more than anything is acknowledge their existence.” [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels drawn to marginalized individuals, wanting to recognize and validate their existence. **In simple terms:** Affinity for society's edges, desire to acknowledge. Key Takeaway Amplify unheard voices. Themes marginalization empathy recognition Mood compassionate activist Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - community outreach - documentary projects - advocacy - support networks Key Concepts social justice human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How can you support without exploiting? - What actions honor their stories? A Different Perspective Risk of romanticizing hardship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affinity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affinity/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [I'm just interested in people on the edges. I feel an affinity for people who haven't had the best breaks in society. I'm always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-just-interested-in-people-on-the-edges-i-feel-an-affinity-for/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [The writer I feel the most affinity with - you said you felt my books are 19th century novels, I think they're 18th century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coe/the-writer-i-feel-the-most-affinity-with-you-said-you-felt-my-books/) [Jonathan Coe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coe/) > [We feel an affinity with a certain thinker because we agree with him; or because he shows us what we were already thinking; or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-davis/we-feel-an-affinity-with-a-certain-thinker-because-we-agree-with-him/) [Lydia Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-davis/) > [I don't know why women feel an affinity with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-aniston/i-don-t-know-why-women-feel-an-affinity-with-me/) [Jennifer Aniston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-aniston/) > [I generally find an affinity with a lot of the people I play and I suppose if I didn't feel an affinity for them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugo-weaving/i-generally-find-an-affinity-with-a-lot-of-the-people-i-play-and-i/) [Hugo Weaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugo-weaving/) > [It's incredible to be working with Mr Armani and his team at Emporio Armani. I feel an affinity to the brand ethos and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-harris/it-s-incredible-to-be-working-with-mr-armani-and-his-team-at-emporio/) [Calvin Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-harris/) > [Millions of years ago, in my previous incarnations, I must have been related to swans... because I can still feel that affinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-sibelius/millions-of-years-ago-in-my-previous-incarnations-i-must-have-been/) [Jean Sibelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-sibelius/) > [You must feel an affinity for what you are photographing. You must be part of it, and yet remain sufficiently detached to see it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-rodger/you-must-feel-an-affinity-for-what-you-are-photographing-you-must-be/) George Rodger > [My work comes from the experience of crowds, injustice, and aggression… I feel an affinity for art when it was made a form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-abakanowicz/my-work-comes-from-the-experience-of-crowds-injustice-and-aggression/) [Magdalena Abakanowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-abakanowicz/) > [When I say that I'm trans, what I'm essentially saying is that I'm standing in solidarity. I feel an affinity with other trans people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/torrey-peters/when-i-say-that-i-m-trans-what-i-m-essentially-saying-is-that-i-m/) [Torrey Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/torrey-peters/) > [You feel an affinity with younger actors, because, you know, it's a very insecure job. 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It must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/we-must-get-away-from-this-limited-i-did-this-and-i-did-that-and-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [When this coronavirus crisis is over, what kind of society will we be? A more important question is what kind of society do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-lucas/when-this-coronavirus-crisis-is-over-what-kind-of-society-will-we-be/) [Caroline Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-lucas/) ## More by Mary Ellen Mark > [In a portrait, you always leave part of yourself behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/in-a-portrait-you-always-leave-part-of-yourself-behind/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [That's the way I learned photography: You make your picture in the camera. Now, so much is made in the computer. ... I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/that-s-the-way-i-learned-photography-you-make-your-picture-in-the/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [I'm a documentary photographer. That's what I've always wanted to be; that's where my heart and soul is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-a-documentary-photographer-that-s-what-i-ve-always-wanted-to-be/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [I wanted to travel from the beginning. As a kid, I used to dream about airplanes, before I ever flew in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-wanted-to-travel-from-the-beginning-as-a-kid-i-used-to-dream-about/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [A great photograph needs no explanation; it functions by suggestion. There is no need to be explicit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/a-great-photograph-needs-no-explanation-it-functions-by-suggestion/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [Usually my ideas for work have revolved around my interest in people, especially people that live on the edges of society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/usually-my-ideas-for-work-have-revolved-around-my-interest-in-people/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [One of my all-time favorite photographers is Irving Penn. I wish I could have watched him work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/one-of-my-all-time-favorite-photographers-is-irving-penn-i-wish-i/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [Nowadays shots are created in post-production, on computers. It's not really photography.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/nowadays-shots-are-created-in-post-production-on-computers-it-s-not/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [ To touch on people's lives \[ in a way they \] haven't been touched on before, it´s fascianting. You know, it's one thing if… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/to-touch-on-people-s-lives-in-a-way-they-haven-t-been-touched-on/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [What you look for in a picture is a metaphor, something that means something more, that makes you think about things you've seen or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/what-you-look-for-in-a-picture-is-a-metaphor-something-that-means/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [It's just a matter of who you are and how you talk to people. 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And there are photographers doing great work digitally. When they use Photoshop as a darkroom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-m-not-against-digital-photography-it-s-great-for-newspapers-and/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) > [Im just interested in what makes a photograph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/im-just-interested-in-what-makes-a-photograph/) [Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) [Explore all 82 Mary Ellen Mark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/) ## More Acknowledge quotes > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. 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