Friend, hero, inspiration, national treasure, its difficult to chose one portrayal as Don is all of these things to me.
Like most aspiring photojournalists of my generation, Don represented everything that inspired me, the epitome and embodiment of everything that was great about photojournalism. The first photography book I ever bought was Homecoming, and it is still one of my favourites- little did I know then at that tender age that the author -my hero- would become such a close friend.
When my friend photographer Ian Parry died in 1989 during the Romanian revolution, I started a scholarship in his honour and I knew immediately who I wanted to be its Patron- Ian shared my admiration of Don and his work and he was the obvious choice.
I was then the Director of Photography at the Sunday Times where Don had spent much of his career, and felt that this, added to the fact that Ian was such a tragic loss at such a young age, would help persuade Don to accept the role.
To my absolute surprise and disappointment Don responded that, ‘although sympathetic’- he would decline the offer as he ‘didn’t take on such roles’ .
He called me back the next day and apologised saying – ‘I thought about it and realised it was my absolute duty to do this and to support young photographers in Ian’s name’-
That was 24 years ago , Don has been patron of the fund throughout and we have forged a great friendship over those years.
Don began his life on the wrong side of the tracks, mixing with the bad boys of Finsbury Park in London, a tough post war environment with little hope of escape, except Don was different, he had a a talent, a flair for drawing, encouraged by his father, and later it was clear he had an eye for creating an image. He used that talent to take a photograph of the gang he knew which was published by The Observer in London, and that was that, Don had found his escape route and never looked back.
With everything he has seen and experienced in his life, it is hardly surprising that he sometimes drifts back into a dark world full of demons and the faces of the tormented he has seen and photographed , but these days he manages to find solace in his family his friends and his beautiful home in the English countryside.
I was introduced to David Douglas Duncan a few years ago and mentioned that I knew Don well and that he’d asked me to send David his best wishes- David looked at me , put his hand on my shoulder and said, ‘Don McCullin, now theres a man!’. And Indeed he is.
This year Don will be the star of Visa Pour L’Image, and like a comet that takes a quarter of a century to reach our solar system, his presence will amaze, illuminate and inspire us all. He is particularly proud of the upcoming exhibition- he has spent many hours in his tiny darkroom at home printing specifically for the show, so be prepared to be astounded.
Aidan J Sullivan
Vice President Photo Assignment, Editorial Partnerships and Development Getty Images
