Light and dark, black and white

There really is something about black and white that I just love. Even when the sun is bright and there is lots of colour around.

Last night I watched a documentary about one of my most favourite photographers - Don McCullin who is best known for his images of people caught up in war, famine and other atrocities.

It was a thoughtful, insightful, hard hitting film - made by a woman - but not sensational. The background music was gentle and haunting and the manner in which McCullin talked about his work, about the stories behind some of the images was compelling and engaging but also very gentle and moving.

He also spoke about the images that he did not capture. The ones which he was poised to take but at the last moment he felt were just too intrusive.

I have never been in a war zone or on the site of any great tragedy or atrocity but I could identify with some of what he said. And he certainly have me lots to reflect on about my own practice.

I think I'm going to watch it again.

He is currently preparing an archive of his work. What a body of work that will be.