15 Don McCullin Quotes for You to Enjoy

Don McCullin

British Photographer

Born: Oct 9, 1935

Life Me People Photography War You

Related authors: Bill Brandt Fay Godwin Giles Duley Julia Margaret Cameron Martin Parr Mick Rock Nick Veasey Tim Walker

I have more of a relationship with the subject than I do with my camera equipment. To me, camera equipment is like a tin of shoe polish and a brush - I use that as a tool, but my basic camera is my emotion and my eyes. It's not anything to do with the wonderful cameras I use. Don McCullin

There's nothing I don't know about war. The stench of it. But I say that without any pride. War is a terrible thing. My hope is that you'll get that through looking at one of my pictures. Don McCullin

War Hope You Pride Looking Nothing Say About Through Pictures Know Terrible Terrible Thing Without Get Any Thing

I was dyslexic and uneducated and left school at 14. I grew up in Finsbury Park, which was a pretty bad place where you had to fight and be beaten. It was just a constant roundabout of violence. Don McCullin

You Dyslexic Fight School Bad Constant Pretty Park Beaten Had Left Up Uneducated Just Where Grew Place Which Violence

I have a store full of thousands and thousands of images in my brain. I've got this terrible feeling I'm like some abattoir boss: I know death; I know the cut pieces of the human body. Don McCullin

Death Feeling Thousands Some Boss Like Know Pieces Terrible Got Brain Human Store Human Body Cut Body Full Images

I started out on photography accidentally. A policeman came to a stop at the end of my street, and a guy knifed him at the end of my street. That's how I became a photographer. I photographed the gangs that I went to school with. Don McCullin

Photography School Out Photographed Photographer Guy Policeman Him Became How Accidentally Came End Stop Gangs Street Started

I treat my life as though I am on a tightrope. Don McCullin

Life Treat My Life Though Tightrope Am

I've seen my own blood and broken a few bones. I've been hit, which isn't an entirely bad thing, as at least you have a glimpse of the suffering endured by the people you are photographing. And in a sense, crumbling empires and war have been with me all my life. Don McCullin

Life War Me Broken You Suffering People My Life Seen Few Own Sense All My Life Bad Photographing Entirely My Own Bad Thing Crumbling Empires Glimpse Least Been Blood Hit Endured Which Thing By The People Bones

I'm from England, and like every other great empire who stole bits of the world, there is a price to pay. And I was born in 1935. So, since I've been conscious of the world, I've either been in, or been on the periphery of, a war zone. Don McCullin

Photography belongs to a fraternity of its own. I was young and enthusiastic and wanted to take good pictures to show the other photographers. That, and the professional pride of convincing an editor that I was the man to go somewhere, were the most important things to me. Don McCullin

Good Me Man Photography Pride Somewhere Important Important Things Own Young Other Fraternity Photographers Enthusiastic Take Pictures Most Editor Go Were The Most Important Wanted Convincing Show Professional Things Belongs

Don McCullin Quotes

No more Don McCullin quotes