In Conversation with Don McCullin: Shaped By War

The Imperial War Museum North is currently hosting the mind blowing retrospective exhibition Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin spanning his lengthy 50+ year career. Considered one of the most prolific photographers of conflict, the exhibition contains more than 200 photographs along with video interviews and objects including the Nikon camera that stopped a bullet, his US army issue helmet along side numerous visas and assignment letters. The exhibition charts McCullin's career - from the East End Gangsters and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus to the Vietnam War and Northern Ireland conflict.
Don McCullin’s first published photograph: The Guv’nors of Seven Sisters Road, London,1958. Photograph © Don McCullin
A distraught woman flees the village of Gazabaran with her family after the killing of her husband, Cyprus 1964.Photograph © Don McCullin

Along side the exhibit the museum also hosted a talk in March: in Conversation with Don McCullin. Fluctuating sound levels coupled with screeching microphones meant we missed the first few questions. But aside from technical difficulties it was a really enlightening and deeply honest interview. The overall impression of McCullin is of a very sombre and despondent man. He has obviously been deeply affected by what he has experienced and photographed over the years and this sadness carries over into his more recent landscape photography. For me the most surprising comment of the evening was from McCullin on how he looks back over his lifetimes work and feels it meant nothing, as it changed nothing (ie didn't help stop the wars), and I (like I suspect a lot of people) disagree - whilst his photographs may not have forced politicians into action, I think he has certainly influenced and affected, we the general populous. Certainly I think photography in the media was a strong factor in my joining the protests against the Iraq war in 2001. I think war photography was more in your face, in the danger than the tea time television correspondents ever were. So I think he really does under estimate the power of his work.
Back on topic though, as I mentioned earlier McCullin also talked about his landscape work towards the end of the interview - black and white stark winter landscapes that evoke the same sense of sorrow you get from his photographs of war and from the man himself. Dark, yet not depressing the way some landscapes can be, he has been quoted as saying ‘My landscapes have become a form of meditation. They have healed a lot of my pain and guilt.’
Iron Age fort in the snow, Somerset, 1992.Photograph © Don McCullin

Shaped by War is on display at the Imperial War Museum North until 13th June 2010, an accompanying book Don McCullin - Shaped By War is also available in the Gift Shop.

Photocamp Bradford

Now I know this is a bit of a late review, but hey I've been busy!
Photocamps are described as 'Open Photography Conferences' or 'Unconferences' with the simple aim of sharing knowledge.
Whilst quite a few of my friends have attended previous photocamps, this was my first.
Held at the National Media Museum in Bradford, 150 people attended this event which had something for everyone. Starting off with the welcomes and a keynote speech from Natalie Dybisz aka Miss Aniela apparently somewhat a flickr celeb, she gave a run down on how she got started in photography (as described in the link), she seemed to divide the crowd into those who love her and those who hate her given the comments I overheard as we left the theatre & throughout the day. I'm not sure if was arrogance or naivety on Natalie's part but she didn't seem to really understand why people who've put a lot of time & effort going to college/university to study photography, researching, applying for grants etc.. would be somehow aggrieved at someone getting exhibitions and making money from photography (I mean that's the dream right, making a living doing something you love) almost instantly - I suppose it's akin to the whole Pop Idol/X-Factor thing, no longer to you need to spend years struggling playing every dive in every town, instant celebrity is around the corner! But back on subject, I found Natalie's photos quite interesting, with an obvious nod to David Lachapelle's fashion stuff in terms of style.

There was a wide variety of sessions throughout the day, including practicals (making a pin hole camera, creating still life set ups, strobism to mention but a few), discussions and gallery tours it was very hard to choose what to see & do, but I ended up not attending any of the practical sessions which surprised myself.
The Museum had on a exhibition of Don McCullin's photographs In England, gritty black & white shots showing poverty & wealth and that in between - worth checking the above link as (my)words cannot do it justice.

Without waffling on too much, the sessions I attended included how to promote yourself on-line with loads of useful tips to do with building a website etc..
Desmond Wee did a fantastic talk on his project "How to Wear A Camera like a Tourist", which reminded me a lot of of the sort of stuff I did & researched on my MA course many moons ago!
Also the king of the pano's ASBO Allstar aka Neil did a really cool talk on how (allegedly) easy it is to create stunning panoramas and stitch them together


There was also a street session on the Sunday, but I didn't make it to this event but saw some excellent shots from the day. A varied selection from both days taken by organisers & participants alike can be seen here
All in all a fantastic event and I'm looking forward to the next one!