In the great pile of losses from last year, we counted some giants of the photo world. In Indiana, we unexpectedly lost Lee Marks.

It was a gift then, to come across this episode of The Expert Eye, a podcast by Aimee Pflieger offering an in-depth interview with Lee Marks about her life and career. Hearing Lee speak with energy and clarity, it feels like she’s still among us, quietly doing the work to make known the real value of photography.

I was struck by Lee’s lack of ego in the way she described her successes. She was quick to remember those who had been generous to help as she learned the ropes with gallery work. I felt this same confident and generous presence in my own interactions with her.

She succeeded by following her interests with curiosity. She was in it for the love of the thing itself, for the artist, and the art. In her later work, Lee focused on serving the needs of the artists in her roster, because she believed in them and in what they made. I am inspired by all she accomplished, but also by her kindness and her unflappable nature.

I recommend the full Podcast. It’s a candid look inside the history of the photograph as an object of value. And it’s awfully nice to spend some time with Lee. 

-Lisa Woodward