Don McCullin
Encyclopedia
Donald McCullin, FRPS CBE (born 9 October 1935, Finsbury Park, London
, England
) is an internationally known British
photojournalist
, particularly recognized for his war photography
and images of urban strife. 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.
in the RAF
saw him posted to the Canal Zone during the 1956 Suez Crisis
, where he worked as a photographer's assistant. He failed to pass the written theory paper necessary to become a photographer in the RAF, and so spent his service in the darkroom.
In 1959, a photograph he took of a local London gang was published in The Observer
. Between 1966 and 1984, he worked as an overseas correspondent for the Sunday Times Magazine
, recording ecological and man-made catastrophes such as war-zones, amongst them Biafra
, in 1968 and victims of the African AIDS
epidemic. His hard-hitting coverage of the Vietnam War
and the Northern Ireland conflict is particularly highly regarded.
He also took the photographs of Maryon Park
in London which were used in Michelangelo Antonioni's film Blowup
.
In 1982 the British Government refused to grant McCullin a press pass to cover the Falklands War
.
At the time he believed it was because the Thatcher government felt his images might be too disturbing politically. However, it recently emerged that he was a victim of bureaucracy: he had been turned away simply because the Royal Navy had used up its quota of press passes.
In 1968, his Nikon
camera stopped a bullet intended for him.
He is the author of a number of books, including The Palestinians (with Jonathan Dimbleby
, 1980), Beirut: A City in Crisis (1983), and Don McCullin in Africa (2005). He was exposed at Les Rencontres d'Arles festival in 2006, France. His book, Shaped by War (2010), was published to accompany a major retrospective exhibition at the Imperial War Museum North
, Salford, England running from February to June 2010. The most recent title from McCullin is Southern Frontiers: A Journey Across the Roman Empire
, a poetic and contemplative study of selected Roman and pre-Roman ruins in North Africa and the Middle East.
, placing the letters 'FRPS' after his name. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford
in 1993 and an honorary degree by the Open University
in 1994.
He was granted the CBE
in 1993, the first photojournalist to receive the honour.
McCullin was awarded the Cornell Capa Award in 2006.
On 4 December 2008, McCullin was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Gloucestershire
in recognition of his lifetime's achievement in photojournalism.
, he is married and has five children from his current and earlier marriages.
Finsbury Park, London
Finsbury Park is an area in north London, England which grew up around an important railway interchange at the junction of the London Boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Hackney...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an internationally known British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
photojournalist
Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism...
, particularly recognized for his war photography
War photography
War photography captures photographs of armed conflict and life in war-torn areas.Although photographs can provide a more direct representation than paintings or drawings, they are sometimes manipulated, creating an image that is not objectively journalistic.-History:Photography, presented to the...
and images of urban strife. 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.
Career
McCullin's period of National ServiceNational service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
saw him posted to the Canal Zone during the 1956 Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
, where he worked as a photographer's assistant. He failed to pass the written theory paper necessary to become a photographer in the RAF, and so spent his service in the darkroom.
In 1959, a photograph he took of a local London gang was published in The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
. Between 1966 and 1984, he worked as an overseas correspondent for the Sunday Times Magazine
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
, recording ecological and man-made catastrophes such as war-zones, amongst them Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
, in 1968 and victims of the African AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
epidemic. His hard-hitting coverage of the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and the Northern Ireland conflict is particularly highly regarded.
He also took the photographs of Maryon Park
Maryon Park
Maryon Park is an English urban public park located in Charlton in the London Borough of Greenwich. It is situated on the A206 south of the Thames Barrier...
in London which were used in Michelangelo Antonioni's film Blowup
Blowup
Blowup is a 1966 film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni, his first English-language film.It tells of a British photographer's accidental involvement with a murder, inspired by Julio Cortázar's short story, "Las babas del diablo" or "The Devil's Drool" , translated also as Blow-Up, and by the life...
.
In 1982 the British Government refused to grant McCullin a press pass to cover the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
.
At the time he believed it was because the Thatcher government felt his images might be too disturbing politically. However, it recently emerged that he was a victim of bureaucracy: he had been turned away simply because the Royal Navy had used up its quota of press passes.
In 1968, his Nikon
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
camera stopped a bullet intended for him.
He is the author of a number of books, including The Palestinians (with Jonathan Dimbleby
Jonathan Dimbleby
Jonathan Dimbleby is a British presenter of current affairs and political radio and television programmes, a political commentator and a writer. He is the son of Richard Dimbleby and younger brother of British TV presenter David Dimbleby.-Education:Dimbleby was educated at Charterhouse School, a...
, 1980), Beirut: A City in Crisis (1983), and Don McCullin in Africa (2005). He was exposed at Les Rencontres d'Arles festival in 2006, France. His book, Shaped by War (2010), was published to accompany a major retrospective exhibition at the Imperial War Museum North
Imperial War Museum North
Imperial War Museum North is a museum in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, England. One of the five branches of the Imperial War Museum, the museum explores the impact of modern conflicts on people and society. It is the first branch of the Imperial War Museum to be...
, Salford, England running from February to June 2010. The most recent title from McCullin is Southern Frontiers: A Journey Across the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, a poetic and contemplative study of selected Roman and pre-Roman ruins in North Africa and the Middle East.
Selected awards
McCullin received the World Press Photo Award in 1964 for his coverage of the war in Cyprus. In the same year he was awarded the Warsaw Gold Medal. In 1977, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Photographic SocietyRoyal Photographic Society
The Royal Photographic Society is the world's oldest national photographic society. It was founded in London, United Kingdom in 1853 as The Photographic Society of London with the objective of promoting the Art and Science of Photography...
, placing the letters 'FRPS' after his name. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Bradford
University of Bradford
The University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
in 1993 and an honorary degree by the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
in 1994.
He was granted the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1993, the first photojournalist to receive the honour.
McCullin was awarded the Cornell Capa Award in 2006.
On 4 December 2008, McCullin was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Gloucestershire
University of Gloucestershire
The University of Gloucestershire is a university primarily based in Gloucestershire, England, spread over four campuses, three in Cheltenham and one in Gloucester...
in recognition of his lifetime's achievement in photojournalism.
Family life
In later years, McCullin has turned to landscape and still-life works and taking commissioned portraits. Currently living in SomersetSomerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, he is married and has five children from his current and earlier marriages.
Quotes
- "I grew up in total ignorance, poverty and bigotry, and this has been a burden for me throughout my life. There is still some poison that won't go away, as much as I try to drive it out."
- "I am a professed atheist, until I find myself in serious circumstances. Then I quickly fall on my knees, in my mind if not literally, and I say : "Please GodGodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, save me from this." - "I have been manipulated, and I have in turn manipulated others, by recording their response to suffering and misery. So there is guilt in every direction: guilt because I don't practice religion, guilt because I was able to walk away, while this man was dying of starvation or being murdered by another man with a gun. And I am tired of guilt, tired of saying to myself: "I didn't kill that man on that photograph, I didn't starve that child." That's why I want to photograph landscapes and flowers. I am sentencing myself to peace."
- "Photography for me is not looking, it’s feeling. If you can’t feel what you’re looking at, then you’re never going to get others to feel anything when they look at your pictures."