Nobby, what’s the story behind your number 1 photo?
My favourite photo is of Don McCullin.
I was sent to meet him in Gordon Square, Bloomsbury in 1990 and I remember being very nervous about photographing him so to break the ice I told him I had found a great set of his negs of Duke Ellington in the files at the Observer. He then told me that he had had to meet him at Heathrow airport and, as Duke Ellington was getting in his car to leave, they wouldn’t let Don into the car but of course he got in.
In the square there was a garden bench in a quiet corner and I suggested that we do a few shots there.
As he sat down I found myself looking into his eyes and they were so deep and dark that they seemed to go on forever. He has seen so much suffering and you could see it in those eyes. Slightly ironic that this is my main memory and they don’t feature in my favourite photo.
Anyway, I had taken a few head shots when he suddenly put both hands up to his face and I shot two frames on my Leica with a 35mm F.2 lens. Two frames and I knew I had the photograph! And it never got published.
Nobby Clark
Nobby is a London-based photographer whose iconic images have shaped the visual history of British theatre and performance since the 1960s. With a signature documentary style, he has captured legendary figures from Sir Laurence Olivier to Dame Judi Dench, working extensively with institutions like the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.
Beyond the stage, his work spans film, television, and music, including portraits of The Rolling Stones and Pavarotti. His archive is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum.