Sally Mann was born in Lexington, Virginia in 1951 and is most well-known for her intimate portraits and documentary work of her family. Born Sally Turner Munger, she received her BA and MA from Hollins College in Virginia before later photographing at Washington and Lee University in the mid-1970s. Throughout the next ten years, Mann started to become more and more well-known after producing her own photographic books. Her most recognized one being, “At Twelve: Portraits of Young Women” published in 1988. In 2001, Mann was named “America’s Best Photographer” by Time Magazine.
Sally Mann isn't just known for her photos being beautiful, but also for controversial reasons. In her book, “Immediate Family”, Mann had multiple images of children either partially or fully nude. This struck controversy amongst critics and fans worldwide. The entire time this book has been published, it has caused multiple uproars and accusations to child pornography. However, as Sally Mann says, “As ephemeral as our footprints were in the sand river, so also were those moments of childhood caught in the photographs.”
Sally Mann’s most famous photo is probably “Candy Cigarette” taken in 1992. This photograph is considered one of the most famous images of the 20th century.”Candy Cigarette” is a part of her series she did of her daughter, Jessie.
This was the first photo by Sally Mann that I, personally, ever saw. From the first time that I laid my eyes on it, I fell in love. I began researching her other photographs and taking mental notes on how she created each of these images. I was completely hooked after just one glimpse of this woman’s life.
My personal favorite photo of Sally Mann’s is (obviously) the one that involves water. This particular photo is of Mann’s youngest daughter, Virginia. This image is one of many that inspired me to start my bathtub photo series. Everyone that knows my work, knows that I have an extreme soft spot for photos of females in the water. This particular image is so captivating to me. For starters, it is so incredibly lovely. Everything about it is just utterly perfect. From the ripples in the water around her little curly Q’s, to her tiny, little, button nose and eyelashes. The whole photo just pulls you to the center of the image and draws your attention deeper and deeper into the photograph. I cannot even put into words how I feel about this photo. Sally Mann’s work has truly made me speechless for the first time.
Music Inspired by Sally Mann's photos:
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