David Hurn, born in 1934 of Welsh descent, is a self-taught photographer who began his career in 1955 as an assistant at the Reflex Agency. While a freelance photographer, he gained his reputation with his reportage of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. Hurn eventually turned away from coverage of current affairs, preferring
to take a more personal approach to photography. He became an associate member of Magnum Photos in 1965 and a full member in 1967. In 1973, he set up the famous School of Documentary Photography in Newport, Wales, and has been in demand throughout the world to teach workshops. In 1997, he collaborated on a very successful textbook with Professor Bill Jay, On Being a Photographer. However, it is his book Wales: Land of My Father that truly reflects Hurn’s style and creative impetus. David Hurn has a longstanding international reputation as one of Britain’s leading reportage photographers. He continues to live and work in Wales.

See below for David's events and schedule for Newport Festival of Words 2025