Interview with Marilyn Stafford: Documentary Photography
“Be true to yourself, shoot what you feel like shooting or how you feel like shooting.”
At AGORA, we love discovering inspirational photographers to share with our community. That’s why when Marilyn Stafford agreed to tell us a bit of her amazing story, we had to share her unique point of view of the world.
They say when life gives you lemons make lemonade: This is exactly what 23 year old aspiring actriz Marilyn Stafford did when handed a camera by friends making a film about Albert Einstein in 1948. This photo (her first ever!) of the German physicist marked the beginning of a photographic career that took her across the world, from Tunisia documenting the Algerian refugees fleeing attack in France to India shooting Indira Gandhi, the country’s first and only woman Prime Minister. Having lived in more than 6 countries her photos certainly show how diverse her life was.
We got Marilyn, now 93, to reflect on her photographic achievements and offer her advice to the photographers of today’s generation. If anything stuck with us, it’s that if you photograph with honesty and live your life to the full, the images will look after themselves.
Here she is; a real inspiration and living proof that anyone can pick up a camera, regardless of tech knowledge as long as…
” …you take the photograph at the right time and it really has something to say, it will always say it.”
Thank you for talking with us Marilyn, it was a real honor.
If you have enjoyed the above interview you won’t want to miss our interview with Portrait photographer Adeel Chishti or Fine Art Fashion photographer Caitlin Bellah.
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