In his book unreasonable behaviour 1992 mccullin writes, that one picture changed my life. He is from south louisiana, and is the marine in the centre of mccullin s own favoured photograph from hue. I have been manipulated, and i have in turn manipulated others, by recording their response to suffering and misery. The search for a soldiers identity in 1968 tet photos. His experience in a ugandan prison alone would be enough to unhinge another manlike myself, as a matter of factfor good. His first published photograph was a picture of a gang from his neighborhood, which appeared in a newspaper after a local murder. Don mccullin talks war and peace british journal of. Don mccullin is leaning over a glass case containing three monkey skulls, a necklace made of whale bones and a set of false teeth. Handsome and collectible, the books are produced to the highest standar. An interview with don mccullin is never going to be a dull affair he is a complex man.
Don mccullin is an behemoth of a man in the genre and this book is excellent at filling the gaps in his early life and provides a warts and all account of his approach to the field. Even my darkroom is a haunted place, he says in jacqui morris and david morriss revealing film of 2012, mccullin, in just one of many references he has made, in interviews and in his own writing, to his inability to let go of the horrors he has witnessed. When the photographer giles duley was 18 years old, he was given two presents by his godfather. One word of warning though the dates on some of the photos are not right. He often preempts the questions with clinical selfawareness. He is unfailingly polite and gentlemanly, but one detects a slightly weary tone as he goes over the familiar ground. His most recent books include don mccullin in africa, unreasonable. This comprehensive survey will travel to tate liverpool in june 2020. This is a book by one of the best photographers in the country. He is the author of a number of books, including the palestinians with jonathan dimbleby, 1980, beirut.
Mccullin recounts the course of his professional life in a series of devastating texts on war, the events and the power of photography. Its not words, but the images and photos thats beyond what words can describe that. Mccullin is arguably great britains most renowned photojournalist having documented many major conflicts of the 20 th and 21 st century since the 1960s. For the first time, mccullin speaks candidly about his threedecade career covering wars and humanitarian disasters on virtually every continent and the photographs that often defined historic moments. In recent years he has photographed the landscape surrounding his home in somerset, but his later travels have taken him to some of the most remote regions in the world. In this film he remembers the people and places of some of his most powerful work. Artist don mccullin sees his photographs as a silent protest against the futility of war. These are the english who will continue to dance to the music of their own peculiar time. The finest british photojournalist of his generation, he has received many honors and awards including the cbe. He has been forfeit more times than he can remember, he says. Sir donald mccullin, cbe, hon frps born 9 october 1935, is a british photojournalist, particularly recognized for his war photography and images of urban strife. Sir don mccullin a photojournalists story canon uk.
Don mccullin has spent the best part of sixty years if not looking for trouble, then certainly finding itin cyprus, the congo, vietnam, northern ireland, lebanon, syria. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including his acclaimed autobiography, unreasonable behaviour 1990, and 2001s retrospective don mccullin. This is the autobiography of the war photographer, don mccullin, a life shaped by and committed to. Sixty years after starting out as a photographer, mccullin returns to his old haunts in the east end of london, bradford, consett, eastbourne and scarborough. He is his own most bitter critic, yet he never allows callousness or indifference to create a. Don mccullin and his camera not only lived through all the major conflicts of the 60s. Sometimes a fascinating subject matter is enough in itself to carry a documentary, as is the case in mccullin, a film by jacqui and david morris about the british war photographer don mccullin growing up in the impoverished neighbourhood of finsbury park in north london, mccullin found his. His career, which began in 1959, has specialised in examining the underside of society, and his photographs have depicted the unemployed, downtrodden and the impoverished. I have been a fan of don mccullin s work for many years and having seen the documentary based on him and several interviews, i already knew some of the stories covered in this book but that did not make it any less enjoyable or shocking to read. Sir donald mccullin, cbe, hon frps born 9 october 1935, is a british photojournalist, particularly recognized for his war photography and images of urban. Hamiltons gallery has represented sir don mccullin internationally for thirty years. His book, shaped by war 2010, was published to accompany a major retrospective exhibition at the imperial war museum north, salford, england in 2010 and then at the victoria art.
People have told me that if i had not made a breakthrough with that photograph, then i. He couldnt express it in words but he expressed it in his photography. In 1959, mccullin took his first published photograph of the guvnors, a london gang who had been involved in a murder. Travelogue that follows photographer don mccullin, documenting his country from inner cities to seaside towns, on a journey in search of his own nation. His devastating images of conflict zones and the casualties of war in vietnam, berlin and northern ireland are. His lifetime contribution to photojournalism continues today and lives on in the collection of many museums. Some people think im a shoe, smith tells his story, in his own words.
Don mccullin was born in 1935 in londons finsbury park, a poor and rough area at the time. He worked for the sunday times for eighteen years and has covered every major conflict in his adult lifetime. Having seen mccullin on film before, i could immediately identify with his words and style of writing. Don mccullin has known all forms of fear, hes an expert in it. Don mccullin talks war and peace british journal of photography. Brilliant, and heart rending, both for the victims don mccullin reports on in unreasonable behaviour. Sir don mccullin a photojournalists story canon europe. His work is some of the finest photojournalism of the 20th century. The latest addition to my book shelf is the landscape by don mccullin published by jonathan cape in association with penguin. Don mccullin is one of our greatest living photographers. This new documentary from the producers of the awardwinning senna uses rich, detailed archive footage and incredible indepth interviews to reveal the truth behind mccullin s hardhitting and controversial images, piecing together his remarkable story in truly breathtaking style. Now, thats a photographer reminding us that we really need to have an emotional connection whether with people or landscape or any other subject, and to think about making a statement in our work. He has his own style of dark and brooding images and he still uses film. Leaving school at fifteen with no qualifications, mccullin signed up to national service in the raf as a photographic assistant.
Don mccullin is one of the most important war photographers of the 20th century. This threevolume boxed set is the definitive retrospective of the life and work of don mccullin. I have written about mccullin s work before including an entry about his wonderful exhibition at tate britain in london which is on until the beginning of may. To many, don mccullin is the greatest living war photographer, often cited as an inspiration for todays photojournalists. Don mccullin, war photographer, in his own words don mccullin who turned 80 in octoberhas been through a number of wars. The stillness of life follows mccullin s major retrospective at tate britain in spring 2019, featuring over 250 photographs that celebrate the scope and achievements of his entire career. The photographers qualms about the impact of his own work notwithstanding, don mccullin is a testament to photographys enduring power to affect. Confessions of a war junkie for over 50 years, photographer don mccullin has recorded some of the most brutal images of conflict. The iconic british photojournalist talks about his life and work, including his new project mccullin in kolkata. Straight up documentary about legendary war photographer don mccullin. My father had a masters degree in physical education and taught, among other sports, tennis. Donald mccullin, cbe hon frps 9 october 1935 is an internationally known british photojournalist, particularly recognized for his war photography and images of urban strife. A city in crisis 1983, and don mccullin in africa 2005. I was born and raised in pasadena, california, the home of the rose bowl and the rose parade.
It takes more than a few bullets buzzing past to make this guy nervous. Quite apart from the dramatic nature of his subject his pictures have all the visual qualities that define a fine photograph and indeed, he has, and still does, photograph subjects other than war, creating equally memorable images. At the age of 80, the venerated british photojournalist don mccullin is, by his own admission, walking around the craters edge of the volcano. But frenchies words held particular resonance, and if i wished an epitaph for the shellshocked marine, it would be written in frenchies final words to me.
Don mccullin, strange travellersa destitute tibetan family in the booking hall of. I am well known for not being a fan of landscape photography. On the eve of a major retrospective of don mccullins work, the. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Predominantly selftaught, mccullin came to prominence in 1958 when a newspaper bought his images of a london gang involved in the murder of a policeman, and later received. Winner of numerous awards, including two premier awards from the world press photo, in 1992 he became the only photojournalist to be made commander of the british empire cbe. He is mildly taken with the teeth, if only because one of his own. Don mccullin northern ireland pictures belfast child. Don mccullin s photography best known as one of the greatest photographers of the vietnam war, donald mccullin is a british photojournalist, noted for his fine art photography of the human condition, depicting those caught up in conflict, or simply downtrodden because of their poverty. An interview with don mccullin is never going to be a dull affair he is a complex man who has told the story of his life many times before. He has come back from god knows how many brinks, all different. The conclusion of the book marks mccullin s retreat to the somerset landscape surrounding his home, where the dark skies over england remind him yet again of images of war. Mccullin revisits his own work over and over again, as he prints and reprints his images in his darkroom, repeatedly trying to tease the best from his negatives. I owe something to somerset because i came here when i was a child, about 80 years ago, as an evacuee during the second world war.
After visiting don mccullin s exhibition at the tate britain i was intrigued to find out more about his other works. His career, which began in 1959, has specialised in examining the underside of society, and his photographs have depicted the unemployed. Mccullin himself attributes his capacity for empathy partly to his own harsh. Here, in his own words, mccullin candidly opens up about his enduring connection to the british countryside, losing control and the great challenge of landscape photography somerset calling. He was there in my observer and sunday times magazines for most of my youth. War is hell and mans inhumanity to man could be the mottos of his photography.
Don mccullin and giles duley in conversation the guardian. Don mccullin in africa published by jonathon cape signed by the photographer don mccullin s reputation stands as one of the greatest war photographers of our times. W hen the photographer giles duley was 18 years old, he was given two presents by his godfather. Don mccullin s view of england is rooted in two worlds his wartime childhood, and his youth in 1950s finsbury park. With over 250 photographs, all printed by mccullin himself in his own darkroom, this exhibition will be a unique opportunity to appreciate the scope and achievements of his entire career. The story of mccullin s rise from the impoverished. An autobiography, and for the tale of his own life. For the past 50 years he has proved himself a photojournalist without equal, whether documenting the poverty of londons east end, or the horrors of wars in africa, asia or the middle east.