Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin

Verdict: Go see it
Where: Imperial War Museum
When: 7 October - 15 April 2012

Don McCullin forged a photojournalistic career by venturing to dangerous battlefields including Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Nigeria.

His life started with war as he experienced the Blitz first hand as a child and grew up in an area which had its share of local gang warfare - his first published photographs were of these gangs.

His career would then take him all over the world to various war zones and would involve risking his life regularly. In this deeply personal exhibition he remarks how war became a drug to him and that he would become bored and restless when at home with his family.

The photos on display can be both harrowing and chilling, especially when he used his preferred approach of black and white prints. He later moved on to colour due to pressure from his bosses but the horrors of war seem starker in the black and white format.

Shellshocked by Don McCullin

His focus then switched from the makers of war (soldiers) to the victims and his pictures of abandoned and bullied children are heartbreaking. 

He's now had his fill of war and has shifted his talents to photographs of his local countryside and the war on AIDS, but he will always be remembered for his shots of war.

This is a powerful portrait of one man's career whose photographs are truly harrowing. War is hell and this is further proof.  

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Verdict: Go see it
Where: Natural History Museum
When: 21 October 2011 - 11 March 2012

Every year the Natural History Museum displays the winners and finalists of the various categories for wildlife photographer of the year, and every year without fail it will blow you away.

There must be close to a hundred photographs on display and each one of them is both beautiful and most of them are technically brilliant as well.

There are a large number of categories and even the young photographers are very talented, though they all seem to be in possession of expensive cameras - no cameraphone shots here.

Nobody can walk away from this collection without remarking on several amazing photographs and many people will be tempted to buy the book of all the photos exhibited - a true sign of how great it is.

Landscape Photographer of the Year

Verdict: Go see it

Where: National Theatre, Waterloo

When: 1 December 2011 – 19 February 2012

Every year, any photographer can enter the ‘take a view’ competition for landscape photographer of the year – as long as the photograph was taken in Great Britain,

The competition is now in its fourth year and they receive thousands of entries.  Of those received, the winners along with up to around 100 other photographs are on display in the Mezzanine section of the National Theatre.

It’s perfect for anyone interested on photography or not, and the ideal stroll during the interval if you’re watching a play at the theatre.

There are a range of landscapes on display from the classically beautiful, to the artistic, through to urban cityscapes.

Nobody can visit this exhibit and leave disappointed, there’s a photograph for everyone here and it will inspire you to get out there and explore more of Great Britain.

It’s surprising that a photo of electricity pylons or Torness nuclear power plant can be made to seem scenic.  The most arresting photograph for me was a shot of London’s square mile at night (pictured above).

The only disappointment you may experience will be in finding out that you can’t purchase prints of the photographs for your home.

Astronomy Photographer of the Year

Verdict: Go see it

Where: Royal Observatory, Greenwich

When: 9 September 2011 – 12 February 2012

This year’s competition had around 800 entries that were whittled down to 24 prize-winners, in various categories.

If you think this is purely the domain of the astronomy geek, you’d be wrong.  Sure there are photos that have been awarded prizes for technical merit but nearly half of the photographs on display were taken with standard cameras without the use of telescopes.

The overall winner was chosen for technical merit in capturing Jupiter and two of its moons but some of the more aesthetically pleasing pictures could have been taken by any amateur photographer – such as the Milky Way that can be seen over the tops of palm trees in Tahiti.

You’re guaranteed to walk away from this exhibit with at least a couple of the photographs leaving you in awe of the technical capability of the photographer or the beautiful scenery.  In some cases both, such as the remnants of a supernova explosion that looks like something straight out of Star Trek – though probably beyond Star Trek’s budget to create.

The ultimate photograph for me was the capturing of the International Space Station, docked with the space shuttle Endeavour, as it transited across the sun.

And if none of these appeals to you, and how could it not, then the views of Canary Wharf and the City of London, from outside the Observatory, will more than make up for it.