Pictures of the week: Amanda And Her Cousin Amy, by Mary Ellen Mark

In 1990 Mary Ellen Mark met Amanda, a nine-year-old at a special school in Valdese, North Carolina, for children with problems, 'although a lot of them only had problems with their parents'. Mark was sent to the school by Life magazine 'during the beginning of the end of interesting documentary photography assignments'.
Mark was fascinated by Amanda – 'She was so smart' – and followed her home from school to discover her smoking in the woods behind her house. She met Amanda’s mother, who agreed to let her come back at the weekend to take more pictures. Amanda was excited about the shoot and put on makeup for the event. At the end of the day, Mark went out to the back garden to say goodbye, and it was there that she found Amanda, 'fake nails and everything', posing in the paddling pool with her cousin, smoking a cigarette. 'That’s what I love about documentary photography,' Mark says. 'There are so many incredible surprises.' Photograph: Mary Ellen Mark

'Rat'and Mike with a gun, Seattle, Washington, 1983 Photograph: Mary Ellen Mark

Twin Brothers Tulsi and Basant, Great Famous Circus, Calcutta, India, 1989 Photograph: Mary Ellen Mark

The Damm Family in Their Car, Los Angeles, California, USA 1987 Photograph: Mary Ellen Mark

Jesse Damm, Llano, California, 1994 Photograph: Mary Ellen Mark

Performing Dogs, National Circus of Vietnam, Lenin Park, Hanoi, North Vietnam 1994 Photograph: Mary Ellen Mark