Front Cover to John’s recent book, legacy (click on cover for more details)

Between 1988 -1990 I had a brief but fascinating flirtation with Fleet Street after studying Photojournalism at the London College of Printing. Once released from college I dived straight into ‘Press’ work getting shifts for a gritty London News agency, based off Goodge street and located above a Japanese Seafood restaurant ( the air during the early shifts could tear a strip from a stay cats tongue !)’ Fleet St excited and terrified me in equal measure. In those 2 years so much seem to be happening in London and the UK. The Kings Cross Fire, Clapham Train Crash, The Marchioness Disaster, Notting Hill Riots, Hillsborough, Lockerbie.

Of course, I never got anywhere near those events as they happened ( apart from dodging bricks and Police truncheons on a hot and sweaty bank holiday evening in Notting Hill ). My job was to knock on doors the days following the event and try obtain photographs of the deceased from these events, or chase follow up stories and features. It was pretty hard work which I didn’t particularly enjoy. You weren’t particularly welcomed, though occasionally I was amazed at the warmth of people thrust into those situations. Occasionally I would be asked to come in and offered tea, I always felt that I was intruding though. But on the same (Fleet) street there were experienced press photographers who would be thrown into life and death stories all over the world to capture the news. One of these photographers was John Downing, who recently sadly past away aged 79. John had worked mainly for the Daily Express in disaster and war zones all over the world, from Idi Amin’s Uganda to Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion and wars and famine in India and Africa amongst others.

I only got to work with him once. I was sent to cover the Prison officers strike in 1989 at Wandsworth Prison. It was apparently the first time that police officers were on duty inside a Prison in over 100 years, so they were good pics to have, very sealable and newsworthy. Luckily, there was a block of council flats over looking Prison. John and a couple of other experienced snappers were on the 6-7 floor of the flats when I arrived. I think John said friendly hello but that was it, I was a young and spotty not really in the worth talking to but was also too shy to attempt conversation. I started to take pics and watched john and the others do the same. After a while John announced he had to go, but before doing so lifted his camera and took a few images, wide angle shots I think. He then put a graduated grey filter to the Lens and took a few more images. I was very impressed with this as he didn’t bother putting the filter holder on or anything, and just held it against the lens, took a few frames and was gone. This seems pretty anarchistic to me (straight of college) and demonstrated confidence and experience. I guess you don’t bother with things like plastic filter holders if you’ve been held and gunpoint, beaten up in an Indian prison or had to sprint for your life, cameras clanking behind you as an Afganistan helicopter gunship spays bullets all around you.

I realise this is only a small detail and memory, not even particularly interesting or ground breaking, but I kinda knew then that I had a lot to learn and it was worth watching these guys (unfortunately at that time there weren’t many women) I presumed he must has been shooting colour, which would have been machine printed at the time, hence the need to improve the (grey) sky in the camera. What a pro !

That’s the only time that I would with John Downing, but even back then he was a legend. There is a really good book out of his work which is worth checking out called Legacy, link above and below, but also a fab short Doc of the man himself, talking about his life and work, again link below. If you’re into press, documentary photography, it’s really worth watching and listening to his stories.

I’ve also posted a couple of pics below that I took on that day, , including a strong shot of a prisoner expressing what he thought of the Prison Officers. I’m not sure if these pics were ever used.

I’ve also posted a couple of pics that I took on that day, , including a strong shot of a prisoner expressing what he thought of the Prison Officers. I’m not sure if these pics were ever used.

John Downing MBE, awarded winning Photographer

Wandsworth Prison

Wandsworth Prison

Pressing days at harvest time...

Loving the Art of Kevin Keegan