The below series from McCullins works during the troubles in Northern Ireland. Londonderry Bogside. the series for me shows two sides of the story as ever with any military and civilian photograph. The hero and villains as such if we wanted to choose this phase.
this image has been written with a view of a Henri Cartier-Bresson decisive moment feel it, vertical and horizontal lines, the youth holding the wood to the soldiers’ riot shields having the horizontal lines that corresponded with the other lines. This as a singular image is very DM looking but with them a series it holds the viewer in better as the youth actions unfold and startling reaction from the soldiers.
McCullins eye of action and how he sees the images playing out is second to none. Compositionally and DoF along with the grittiness of the black and whites is probably why like using black and white over colour at times. this may change in the later course but I don’t think the colour would work as well.
From a personal perspective when you knew a news crew/camera crew was in the same place as you were then something is bound to happen. It is not a third sense or anything its a case of simple facts they are here to show the world what’s going on, whether this is portrayed both sides of the conflict/war or whatever word you feel is correct to use. They have normally been tipped off or been informed by someone close to either side that something big or a show of force will be put on but, they are normally in the right place at the right time. For you its normally the wrong place and the wrong time.
Bibliography
Ireland, N. (1970, January 1). Northern Ireland, Londonderry. National Galleries Of Scotland. Retrieved April 26, 2020, from https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/130197/northern-ireland-londonderry?search=Don%20McCullin&search_set_offset=36 [assessed 20200426]
Part Two Context and Narrative BA HONS in Photography OCA 