What does his work look like?
A combination of raw, emotional imagery and refined artistic sensibility underlines McCullin’s reputation as a master of his medium, capable of capturing both the harsh realities of the world and its profound beauty. He is recognized as one of the greatest war photographers in history, as well as being the author of more than a dozen books.

For the last three decades, McCullin has sought to relieve the horrors of what he has witnessed throughout his career by turning to the land around him. In 1972, he returned to live in the Somerset area of the UK, where he had been evacuated to as a child during the Blitz in the Second World War. He often refers to the sweeping rural landscape as his greatest salvation, which his photographs capture in dramatic, painterly representations. At home, McCullin has developed a series of meticulously constructed still lifes that provide a deeper form of escapism, drawing inspiration from the great Flemish and Dutch Renaissance masters.

How does he make his work?
McCullin’s photographs are nearly always taken in black and white on a manual camera using film, which allows him to control the aperture, shutter speed and other camera settings. This creates control over the brightness, focus, depth of field and exposure of the image, while enhancing the mood.

Camera film was traditionally developed by hand in a dark room where the photographer could then make decisions to crop or frame images and adjust the contrast between the brightest and darkest parts in an image. McCullin works in this way for the majority of his images, creating gelatin silver prints in his dark room at home. In more recent years he has also worked with a master printmaker to create platinum prints, as well as high-quality inkjet prints.

The titles of McCullin’s photographs simply state the subject or location depicted, for example, ‘A small river that runs through my village in Somerset’ (1988) or ‘The Road to the Somme, France’ (2000).

Does he work in any other ways?
McCullin is best known as a photojournalist. As a photojournalist for national newspapers, he was assigned to travel to and photographically document conflicts such as the Vietnam War, The Troubles in Northern Ireland, the construction of the Berlin War, and most recently the war in Aleppo, Syria.

McCullin is the author of several books, including: ‘The Palestinians’ (with Jonathan Dimbleby, 1980), ‘Beirut: A City in Crisis’ (1983); ‘Don McCullin in Africa’ (2005); and ‘Southern Frontiers: A Journey Across the Roman Empire (2010).

The publication ‘Shaped by War’ (2010) was produced to accompany a major retrospective exhibition at the Imperial War Museum North in Salford, UK, which then travelled to the Victoria Art Gallery in Bath, UK and the Imperial War Museum in London, UK.

In 2012, a documentary film of his life was released titled ‘McCullin,’ directed by David Morris and Jacqui Morris. The film was nominated for two BAFTAs.

What are the main themes in his work?
War, conflict and unrest
Often commissioned for reportage in war torn environments, McCullin has not just carried a camera, but also a conscience and a compassionate gaze. His photography becomes a platform to share the thought-provoking visual stories of those that may otherwise not be seen and heard.

Global documentary
McCullin has described his work as a cultural service. His photography has documented people and places, recording them as they are changed organically or by manmade force.

Solace in the landscape and still life
A lifelong connection to the South West of England provides a contemplative space and a spiritual home for McCullin, acting as an antidote to witnessing war. The same meditative elegance extends to his still life compositions, carefully composed in his garden shed in between decades of global travel.

Emotive expression
McCullin’s photographs capture historic moments, memories, trauma, humour, joy, dignity, collective care and compassion, local and global relationships, organic and manmade landscapes. These images balance awe and unease, intimacy and theatricality, depicting universal experiences of what it is to be alive in the world.

Ancient Roman statues
Over the past 25 years McCullin has focused on Roman sculpture and the ancient world, drawn to their beauty while remaining aware of the violence and labor that produced them. Across this evolution, from war zones to marble statues, his work continues to balance beauty, brutality and moral tension.

Glossary
Aerial reconnaissance photography
Photographs taken from aircraft, often for military purposes, to gather information about land, buildings, or troop movements.

Aperture
The opening in a camera lens that controls how much light enters the camera. A wider aperture lets in more light and can blur the background; a smaller aperture keeps more in focus.

Commission
When a photographer is hired to produce images for a publication, organisation, or client.

Composition
How elements are arranged within a photograph—where subjects are placed, how the image is framed, and how space is used.

Conflict photography / war photography
Photography that documents war zones, armed conflicts, and their human impact.

Darkroom
A light-controlled space where photographic film is developed and prints are made by hand using chemicals.

Depth of field
The amount of an image that appears sharp and in focus. A shallow depth of field blurs the background; a deep depth of field keeps more of the image clear.

Gelatin silver print
A traditional black-and-white photographic print made using light-sensitive silver salts on paper. Known for rich tonal range and depth.

Inkjet print
A modern method of printing photographs using high-quality printers and pigment-based inks.

Oeuvre
The complete body of work produced by an artist over their lifetime.

Platinum print
A high-end photographic printing process using platinum instead of silver. Known for subtle tones and durability.

Reportage
Journalistic reporting through images or writing, often documenting current events.

Still life
Photographs of arranged objects (such as fruit, flowers, or everyday items), often carefully composed to explore light, texture and symbolism.

Questions for discussion

• Imagine you are a photographer for a day. What would you take a photo of and why?

• If you could take a photo to tell a story about something important to you, what would you photograph and why?

• If you could show your photo to other people, what would you want them to notice first?

Supplementary research

• Don McCullin (Hauser & Wirth artist page)

• ‘Don McCullin: The Stillness of Life’ (Ursula, 2020)

• ‘Don McCullin: A Man Among Gods’ (Ursula, Issue 14, September 2025)

• ‘Shaped by War’ (Jonathon Cape, 2010)

• ‘Unreasonable Behavior: An Autobiography’ (Jonathon Caper, 2015)