A crowdfunding page set up to raise money for ‘Legacy’, a photography book celebrating the work of John Downing has exceeded its target in four hours.

John Downing, former Chief Photographer on the Daily Express has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and over the past two weeks, donations have been flooding in for him to compile key assignments from his career into a momentous photography book. Downing has photographed people and places from around the globe and his strategic and sensitive use of the camera has worked to educate the public on both domestic and international news for decades.

Downing has covered most major wars, including Vietnam, East Pakistan/Bangladesh and Rwanda; he was one of the first journalists to visit Chernobyl after the nuclear explosion, and the only photographer at the Grand Hotel in Brighton after the IRA attacks in 1984.

He has lived rough with Guerrilla fighters in several wars, hitchhiked along the ‘Road of Death’ in Central America and endured violent imprisonment under the regime of Idi Amin in Uganda. Hardships that demonstrate the dedication and determination of a quality photojournalist.

Downing has received numerous awards throughout his career including British Press Photographer of the year an unprecedented seven times. Considering this alongside awards such as the United Nations Gold Medal in 1990 and the International Photographer of the Year in 1994, it becomes clear why so many were quick to make contributions to a book which commemorates his admirable commitment to storytelling.

For more information on John Downing’s work, or if you would like to donate to the ‘Legacy’ click here. 

Photographs used by kind permission of John Downing.