In England

Bradford, 1973 by Don McCullin

A chance trip to the National Media Museum in Bradford last week, introduced me to the work of photojournalist Don McCullin.

Born in 1935 he worked for many years covering conflicts abroad. But on display was five decades worth of photography, chronicling British life. His photographs all have impact, and somehow speak of a haunting era, of abject poverty. Many of his photos were taken in Bradford, a place many photographers just didn’t want to go in the 60s and 70s.

But here’s what really impressed me: his method. He writes:

“I stopped wandering when I reached Bradford, where I found a microcosm of the dark satanic legacy that we had inherited from Britain’s industrial heyday … I was met everywhere by warm and courteous people …

“Stealing pictures of these people with a long lens was not my style. I wanted to be close to them, to feel their plight and to convey the emotion of contact with them. I wanted their trust and to become their voice.”

And that right there is what makes the difference. He spent time with these people, often violent drunks and schizophrenics – and gained their trust.

His portraits are not of strangers he shoved a camera up to. They are people who look into the lens trusting the guy on the other side.

And that’s got to count for something, right?

ADAM WESTBROOK

RESPONSE:

TOAST:

i went to this yesterday, i thought i was already familiar with his work – i was very wrong, its quite brilliant – his later landscapes are superb as well – there is a great great interview with him on the national media museums site here:
http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/podcasts/1122558/6E_DonMcCullinInConversation.mp3

and video here:
http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/donmccullin/video.asp