Sally Mann

Sally Mann is one of America's most renowned photographers. Her new book is Hold Still: A Memoir with Photographs.

From the author's Q & A with Peggy Mann for The Amazon Book Review:

PM: Knowing the experience you had with letting the world ‘in’ with the publication of the family pictures, was there any hesitation in writing this book? How is this different? Same?

Sally Mann: I once said to a photographer named Judith Joy Ross that I wanted my then nascent family work to be “open.” She replied dourly: “Sometimes, Sally, when people see openness, they see a way in.” I never forgot that and, of course, it proved to be true. I think there are some differences here, though: the family pictures were subject to so many interpretations, and every person who looked at them had not just an opinion but also a connection to the work that was unique to them and felt very personal. Hold Still is less interpretively labile—it is more of a statement and less of a question. Besides, I am such a recluse that I don’t think people will see that “way in” with this book, other than, I hope, one to their own psyche.

PM: You speak to the scrutiny and ridicule you received as a result of the family pictures - people judging the artist rather than the art - why do you think that is? Do you think this is something that has become more so over the last decade? And do you think that as a result there are many artists choosing not to bring their art to public eyes?

Sally Mann: I don’t see many artists who are not trying to bring their work to the public---to the contrary I see artists nearly desperate to get attention for their art and, failing that, often for themselves. They should be...[read on]

--Marshal Zeringue