Today I was lucky enough to spend a couple of hours at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester. They have a special exhibition of Don McCullin’s photographs running till June and as I was in the area, this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up!
It was a striking and memorable experience. McCullin is one of the great war photojournalists and the exhibition drives home precisely why.
Any one of these photographs taken alone would still carry strong emotion and impact; taken as a collection, it was powerful stuff.
As an aspiring “maybe one day” photojournalist, McCullins work is both an inspiration and a sobering reminder of the dedication, allied to technical expertise, that is required to really do justice to your subject.
One feature I appreciated was the inclusion of some photos McCullin has taken recently on the streets of London. Whilst not as dramatic as the war pictures, these photographs still carried emotion and a message. A good reminder that photographic interest is everywhere, if you have the eye to see it!
If you have any interest in photography, and can make it to Manchester, then this exhibition is not to be missed.
(As a closing aside, its also worth a stroll around the nearby Lowry and Salford Quays – some fascinating industrial architecture. A couple of pictures now below, more on Flickr here.)
