Victor Blackman - Fleet Street Photographer
Victor Blackman was a fleet street photographer with a weekly column in the magazine Amateur Photographer. As a youngster I followed Blackmans writings and thoughts with serious interest.
He had a refreshing attitude towards equipment and the work of photographers.
He would often try out the latest equipment in far more practical conditions than equipment reviewers. He always made the point that being there was the most important factor for a news tog and that results not the equipment was key.
He was one of the first non commisioned photographers to sing the virtues of the new Olympus OM 1 which went on to knock Nikon off the top spot in pro circles for years to come.
He later did the same with the then radical Canon A1 - which he can be seen holding on the picture above.
He believed in using 35mm compacts for speed ease of carrying and results. I took this on board gratefully and found how right he was. He also loved the Leica M series, which later I was to share.
So here we had a down to earth photographer who said it like it was.
His key work was for the Daily Express - which was a great paper at the time. He also wrote books one called "Naff Off" which I think was a Royal referance to his picture taking..
This was before the days of the paporazzi - which I suspect he would loath - VB came from a much politer time in photography where, as far as possible you related to and worked with your subject and did'nt just push the lens into the subjects face.
This made him very popular with show business stars who often would shoot with him willingly.
I followed VB in many ways - I got my first OM1 because he liked it so much, and my first 35mm compact at his suggestion. I learned to use the polite approach with people whatever their rank, which I got pulled apart from one of my lecturers, who as a former New York news photographer seemed to prefer confrontation, and thought I was soft.
Victor Blackman died of a heart attack in 1988 - but those of a certain age remember him fondly for his solid commonsense in regard to taking pictures.