The English, alcohol and the Mafia

Featuring photojournalist Peter Dench

An image from A&E: Alcohol and England, by Peter Dench

Episode 460 of the podcast is out, and Peter Dench is my guest, a celebrated writer and photojournalist known for his wit and intimate storytelling. His expertise spans editorial, reportage, commercial, and portrait photography, with work published globally. An award-winning author and speaker, Peter records the quirks of modern life through humour and empathy.

I first came across Peter’s work in the pages of Professional Photographer where he wrote a very honest column about his day-to-day life as a professional behind the lens. Refreshingly transparent and unexpectedly candid, the monthly piece stood out in a field that often leans toward polished narratives and unrelenting positivity, not that I want to read the woes of a wandering witness. There was an equal serving of absurd alongside the trials and celebrated triumphs.

What sets him apart is his ability to blend humour with insight. He doesn’t shy away from exposing the less glamorous side of the photography profession, be it the financial instability, creative frustrations, or the occasional existential dread of a freelance career. His writing, like his photographic imprint though, is never bitter; instead, it’s laced with self-deprecation and wit. There’s a broad sense of recognition as a professional, even though my genre is of a more social photography nature.

Today, during our chat, Peter addresses topics like ethical dilemmas, the impact of social media, and embracing a more nuanced sense of humour within image-making.

In an industry often preoccupied with gear reviews and technical advice, Peter Dench’s columns offered me a refreshing reprieve, and in that, as my other listener will have recognised, I come out in hives with accompanying nosebleed when faced with too much tech, this reminder that photography isn’t just about megapixels and apertures, was probably an early inspiration for the style of this podcast.

I only wish now, I might have said that to him, because the more I think about it, the truer that statement seems.

Also on the show today from the mailbag, Complaints Corner returns thanks to Extra Miler Colin Mayer in Australia, Bryan Patterson is planning a breakout, Daisei Ikatani shares a slice of an English country garden from Yokohama, Eduardo Lara reflects upon how photography connects with us deeply and to close, a tribute to two remarkable women: one in my family, the other a photojournalist who documented at great personal risk, the mafia, Letizia Battaglia. It's also the last call at the bar for November’s one-word assignment set by Lynn Fraser and Jacquie Matechuk.

Letizia Battaglia: Life, Love and Death in Sicily

I’d been told something very special was showing on the upper floors at The Photographer’s Gallery in London, so last Friday, when I was visiting the city, I made sure to drop by, and I’m all the cultural and creativity richer for having done so.

Letizia Battaglia was born in 1935 in Palermo, Sicily. Her photojournalism became a piercing witness to the dark underbelly of Italian life during the late 20th century. Battaglia is best known for her fearless documentation of the Sicilian Mafia making images that were raw, visceral, and unflinching. Her photographs were a documentary of this fearsome time in history and also acts of defiance.

Her black-and-white pictures captured everything from crime scenes to the quiet resilience of everyday Sicilians. And while her work often depicted violence and loss, it wasn’t voyeuristic.

But her work wasn’t without personal cost. Battaglia faced constant threats and lived under the shadow of danger, yet she remained steadfast, and remarkably refused to accept bodyguard protection. She wanted her pictures to affect change, and they did. Her photographs became a powerful testament to courage and the human cost of organised crime.

Paradoxically, Battaglia didn’t start out wanting to photograph the Mafia; she only picked up a camera in her mid-30s.

Beyond photography, Letizia Battaglia was an activist, a politician, and a voice for justice. She passed away in 2022, but her legacy endures. Through her eyes and courage, viewers learned to confront what so many would rather ignore.

Send your thoughts on the subjects discussed today on the show to stories@photowalk.show - or leave a comment that can be used on a future edition.

Thank you for supporting this podcast through your subscriptions.

My kindest,

Neale and Sir. Barkalot