At War: photographer Don McCullin

The award-winning photojournalist looks back over his 50 year career on the front line. Witness to armed conflict and atrocity on battlefields around the world, these devastating experiences changed his motivation. The conflicting emotions still haunt him.

An interview to mark the opening of Shaped by War at the Imperial War Museum, the first major retrospective exhibition of Don McCullin's work.

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[MedeaTor]

This is the stuff. It's not a game.

[FranklinParkIL]

Some photographs speak for themselves. Some photographs are more understandable with an explanation, such as these photographs by Mr. McCullin.

This short well made video pops off the screen. Mr. McCullin's explanation adds to the photographs.

I wish Mr. McCullin well and Best Always - Ben

[jplarkins86]

Should anyone speak on the art of photojournalism Mr McCullin shall always and forever be the man to listen to.

[tstar05]

this is truely touching, thank you

[silvalu35]

@vivatones66 I´m for a world with no war, no money, no gredd and no lies. Plus I´m always setting up pictures whenever I call a person´s name for him or her to look satraight in to my camera, I´m always setting up pictures when I wait for that specific moment to shoot. To set up photos is, for me, not an issue, and should not be to anyone. Either way we are showing other people what we see and they dont. You just need to be honest and Mccullin whas as honest as always when he staged that photo.

[silvalu35]

@vivatones66 I´m for a world with no war, no money, no gredd and no lies. Plus I´m always setting up pictures whenever I call a person´s name for him or her to look satraight in to my camera, I´m always setting up pictures when I wait for that specific moment to shoot. To set up photos is, for me, not an issue, and should not be to anyone. Either way we are showing other people what we see and they dont. You just need to be honest and Mccullin whas as honest as always when he staged that photo.

[vivatones66]

@silvalu35 After my honorable discharge as a Marine in the 60's, I worked almost 40 years as a professional photojournalist. I cannot imagine why you do not understand the different missions and pressures brought to bear on a Marine combatant versus a photojournalist. You cannot be expected to understand the warrior's ethos, especially that of a Marine, unless you have been through his training and walked "point" or survived a firefight or killed someone who is trying to kill you.

[silvalu35]

@vivatones66 Mccullin wasn´t trying to do art or any kind of favor to anyone, as you call it, he satated a very powerful message about war, with his own biases, but also with the dead enemy soldier´s life outside the war. And how about the american marines who robbed a coprse, are those atitudes excusable and the ones of a prize winig journalist not?. I´m a photojournalist and Mccullin is one of my inspirations, I knew of that photo a long time ago, in fact lots of people do, he never hide it.

[vivatones66]

@TheRyduff An ethical photojournalist should avoid setting up an image to make a personal statement. If he wants to exaggerate or change the scene before photographing it, the public shouldn't see it and believe that's how the photographer found it. Let the photographer spend his own money and publish his personal "art." Journalists must be trustworthy. Never ask a former Marine to drop his patriotism

[TheRyduff]

@vivatones66 The image you speak of is truth. All of the objects in that photo were there and were uncovered in an artistic manner. It is not an irresponsibly contrived image, it is "trench art". That work of art depicts the true consequences of war and true human suffering. There is a higher responsibility than that of journalistic professionalism and that is the responsibility to remain true to humanity. Also, drop the patriotism, all killed by war are victims.