After graduating from California State University, Los Angeles with a Master of Arts Degree in Pictorial/Documentary History, Mark started his professional photography career doing the stills for the Merv Griffin Show and various television and movie companies. When the show ended in 1986 he set off on a four-month trek across the Pacific and throughout Southeast Asia, China and Japan. The images created on that trip brought attention to his travel/documentary photography. He since has visited and photographed in over eighty countries. His editorial work has appeared in publications including Life, Stern, GEO, Conde Nast Traveler, Islands, Spa, Playboy, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, Elle, American Photo, The New York Times, The London Times, The Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine as well as many in-flight magazines. His commercial clients range from The Gap for his fashion photography to The Coca-Cola Company for his portraiture to cruise lines and airlines for his travel photography.

He is the recipient of numerous awards including a CLIO Award and an Aurora Gold Award for his photographic work and an Ace Award for directing and producing a video for television. In the spring of 1998 Abbeville Press published Mark’s book “Faces of the Twentieth Century: Master Photographers and Their Work” recording in both words and pictures many of the great names in photography. In March of 1999, the book won the prestigious New York Book Show “Photography Book of the Year” and “Best of Show” awards. Mark’s book “The Way of the Japanese Bath” (R.A.M. Publications) was published in February 2003 to coincide with a touring exhibition beginning at APEX Fine Art in Los Angeles. His book “Mark Edward Harris: Wanderlust" (R.A.M. Publications) was released in November 2004. Images in that book led Mark to being named “Photographer of the Year” at the 2004 Black + White Spider Awards, and the book being awarded "People Photography Book of the Year" at the prestigious International Photography Awards. In 2006 Mark's fashion portraits of internationally acclaimed interior designer Kelly Wearstler graced the pages of her book Domiclum Decoratus (HarperCollins).

In 2007 Chronicle Books released Mark's award-winning book "Inside North Korea." In July 2008 Chronicle released "Inside Iran."