david malcolmson

Profile

Age: 68
City: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Country: United Kingdom

Joined: Dec 2007

I live in the UK. I was born in Scotland (in 1941) but have spent much of my adult life in London and the North-east (at Newcastle) since 1988. My studies were at the London Film School and the University of Newcastle.I became seriously interested in photography in my late teens. From the start I have been drawn to the photography of people, probably because I had an unconscious desire to record something of the human condition. Most of my work is in black and white, mainly on film, mainly because it suits my kind of photography. Every genre has its medium, but for me colour is a distraction in street photography.

I was born in a Scottish mining community so I was assured of a decent education. The Scottish miner (and the Welsh) had a great respect for learning and would make sacrifices to ensure that his children would be well-educated. I had an endless curiosity about literature, music and art, and these, I am certain, contributed something to my photography.

I maybe 66 years old but time weighs lightly on my shoulders. I have never quite lost that sense of wonder which is the abiding gift of childhood. It has remained with me through difficult times, and life would be poorer for its absence.

Most of the work I am showing here dates from 1960 to 1975. I had the misfortune to lose some of my work during a house move, which partly explains the absence of much work after 1975. I have to accept it is gone and nothing will bring it back. You can re-write a lost manuscript but you can’t retake photographs.
Until a few years ago I had never made any attempts to have my work exhibited or published. All that changed after I started showing my images on various internet sites. I have been overwhelmed by the interest shown in these old images. Invitations to exhibitons as well as approaches from publishers, have been very gratifying. My images have appeard in books and magazines. In November of this year I will have a retrospective at Newcastle. An exhibition will take place at Gateshead when the date has been decided. An exhibition at Istanbul has been suggested.

Until recently most of my shots were taken with a Leica, Pentax or Mamiya C3. I am now experimenting with a Canon Powershot G6. Digicams have lot to commend them but I think there are still problems with dynamic range which needed to be sorted out.