David Hurn

David Hurn (born 1934) is a Welsh documentary photographer and member of Magnum Photos, who lives in South Wales.

Early life and education Hurn was born in 1934 in Redhill, Surrey, England. He is of Welsh descent

Life and work After leaving school, Hurn moved to London, hoping to become a photographer. and Watch the Birdie (1963). In 1965 he became associated with Magnum Photos and became a full member in 1967.

In 1963, Hurn was commissioned by the producers of the James Bond films to shoot a series of stills with Sean Connery and the actresses of From Russia with Love. When the theatrical property Walther PPK pistol didn't arrive, Hurn volunteered the use of his own Walther LP-53 air pistol. The pistol became a symbol of James Bond on many film posters of the series.

In 1967 Dino de Laurentiis asked Hurn to travel to Rome to shoot photos of Jane Fonda in Barbarella.

Hurn returned to Wales in the late 1960s, initially living in a van for a year photographing the country. His book, Wales: Land of My Father (2000), illustrates the traditional and the modern aspects of Wales. He continues to live and work in Wales.

Hurn has been an avid collector of photography. He built his private collection of other peoples' work by swapping prints with them. In 2017, he donated 1500 of his photographs, and 700 of other peoples' photographs—including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Eve Arnold, and Bill Brandt—to Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales. National Museum Cardiff held an exhibition of this collection of other peoples' photographs in 2017/2018, entitled Swaps: Photographs from the David Hurn Collection.

Personal life Hurn was married from 1964 to 1971 to American actress Alita Naughton (1942–2019), best known for her role in Ken Russell's French Dressing (1964); they had a daughter, Sian.

In 2001 he was diagnosed with colon cancer but made a full recovery.

He lives in Tintern, Monmouthshire.

Publications

Publications by Hurn David Hurn: Photographs 1956-1976. London: Arts Council of Great Britain, 1979. . Wales: Land of My Father. London: Thames & Hudson, 2000. . Living in Wales. Bridgend: Seren, 2003. . Rebirth of a Capital. Cardiff: Cardiff County Council, 2005. . Writing the Picture. Bridgend: Seren, 2010. . The 1960s Photographed by David Hurn. London: Reel Art Press, 2015. . Arizona Trips. London: Reel Art, 2017. Photographs by Hurn. . Edited by Tony Nourmand. Foreword by Christopher Frayling. On Instagram. London: Reel Art, 2024. .

Zines by Hurn California. Southport: Café Royal, 2017. Edition of 200 copies. Wales 1970s. Southport: Café Royal, 2017. Edition of 200 copies. Wales 1990s. Southport: Café Royal, 2017. Edition of 200 copies. Wales 2010s. Southport: Café Royal, 2018. Edition of 200 copies.

Publications with others On Being a Photographer: a Practical Guide. Photography & the Creative Process: a Series by LensWork Publishing. Anacortes, WA: Lenswork Publishing, 1997. . With Bill Jay. And subsequent editions. On Looking at Photographs: A Practical Guide. Anacortes, WA: Lenswork Publishing, 2000. . With Bill Jay.

Awards 1979/80: UK/USA Bicentennial Fellowship 2016: Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society 2021: Lucie Awards, New York, Achievement in Documentary

Exhibitions 2014: Land of My Father, Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow, 2014. Part of the Britain in Focus theme of Photobiennale 2014, the UK-Russia Year of Culture. 2017: 44 Mile Radius, Tilt & Shift Gallery, Llanrwst, Wales, 2017. Photographs made by Hurn within a 44-mile radius of Llanrwst.

TV programs about Hurn He appears in A House in Bayswater (1960). Currently on Iplayer in BBC Archive. David Hurn: A Life in Pictures. 40 minutes. BBC, 2017.

Collections Hurn's work is held in the following permanent collections: British Council, London Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales