Memorable shots: Moments from Graham Turner's Guardian career - in pictures

From cleaning Nelson’s Column to searching for otters - Graham Turner looks back with the GNM Archive and shares some of his unforgettable experiences of working as a Guardian staff photographer, 1983-2015.

and Emma Golding

  • Cleaning Nelson’s Column, 20 June 1986. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/1/1/S).‘Despite my fear of heights, I volunteered to climb to the top of Nelson’s Column to see it being cleaned. I just had a ladder strapped to the column. No scaffold, no harness, no safety barriers – just my signature on a damage disclaimer form. In one frame you can see my knuckles clenched to the ladder. My other outstretched arm held the camera, with a fish-eye lens. My knees didn’t stop trembling for a long time afterwards.’
    Cleaning Nelson’s Column, 20 June 1986. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/1/1/S).

  • Pig racing in Ireland, 25 April 1989. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/2/1/1).‘In 1989, I went to Ireland to photograph a pig race. Unfortunately, as this was the town’s first pig race, no one had any previous experience of such an event. So in the immortal words of picture editor Eamon McCabe, ‘Make your own luck, kid’. I stood on a corner, one lap, one chance, took this photograph. Then I kept my fingers crossed for 24 hours before I could get my film processed back in London, and see whether I had anything usable.’
    Pig racing in Ireland, 25 April 1989. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/2/1/1). '

  • Nuns from Tyburn Convent, Marble Arch perform a sponsored skip to rebuild the convent front, 17 August 1989. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/2/1/1). ‘I went to a convent where the nuns observed strict association vows, and could only talk to one another for very limited periods during the day. I thought this might be a weird experience, but it was lovely. I love this picture of two nuns, having fun and skipping like a couple of 10-year-olds.’
    Nuns from Tyburn Convent, Marble Arch perform a sponsored skip to rebuild the convent front, 17 August 1989. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/2/1/1).

  • Lady Margaret Thatcher leaving Downing Street, 21 November 1990. (Archive ref. OBS/9/6/2/6/T). ‘When Mrs Thatcher announced she was going to resign, most of the press went into Downing Street to see her emerge from No 10. Instead of following the others, myself and Nigel Cairns from the Today newspaper chose to mingle with the crowd outside the gates in Whitehall. Eventually Mrs T’s car left at speed though the gates, and I took this one frame. As I met the other photographers, I held up the film cassette and proudly announced, ‘I’ve waited 11 years to capture this moment’.’
    Lady Margaret Thatcher leaving Downing Street, 21 November 1990. (Archive ref. OBS/9/6/2/6/T).

  • Mother and three children, Malawi, 1991. (Archive ref. OBS/6/9/2/1/C1).‘In 1991, I went to Malawi and Mozambique, where I saw terrible scenes of dying and starvation. The scene I like to remember is this mother with her children, who have walked for several days to get help. She had such dignity. She was almost too proud to ask for help. Her strength of character shone through.’
    Mother and three children, Malawi, 1991. (Archive ref. OBS/6/9/2/1/C1).

  • Jill Morrell, 8 August 1991. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/2/1).‘I met Jill many times when she was campaigning for the release of her hostage boyfriend, John McCarthy, held in Beirut. She was a lovely, happy, bubbly lady, but because of the seriousness of the situation, did not smile for the camera. When John’s release was announced, I knew the picture I wanted. At a very long and hot press conference, with the sweat running down my forehead, viewfinder and glasses, I just kept my lens trained on her face until finally she couldn’t contain her happiness.’
    Jill Morrell, 8 August 1991. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/2/1).

  • Norilsk, Siberia, 29 January 1992. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/2/1).‘In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I went to Russia and Eastern Europe many times to document the changes to the system. Reporter Patrick Donovan asked me - because I could speak a little Russian - to get two tickets. We had no permission or visas, but because there were only two flights a week we knew that if we got there, we couldn’t be instantly deported. Totally unprepared for -40C, I soon realised that if we wandered off and got lost in an hour we would probably be dead. The underdressed person on the right is Patrick.’
    Norilsk, Siberia, 29 January 1992. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/2/1).

  • Sir Anthony Hopkins, 13 March 1992. (Archive ref: OBS/6/9/2/6/H).‘I had been warned beforehand to treat Sir Anthony with due deference. He arrived completely drenched from a rain storm. Immediately he was surrounded by PRs and assistants with towels. ‘No, no,’ I cried, ‘just as you are, please,’ and quickly stood him in front of a plain wall while a work experience person held my flash-gun to the side. A few frames, and then the towels. He was lovely. He then stayed and chatted with us for some time.’
    Sir Anthony Hopkins, 13 March 1992. (Archive ref: OBS/6/9/2/6/H).

  • Inmate at Moorland young offenders institution, 13 May 1992. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/1/1/P).‘I’ve been to many prisons for work. This was the most unforgettable one. Prisons are really not the best place for some people. The inmates need help. While at this prison, this young offender had attempted suicide. I was allowed to meet him. What does one say to a youth, still with the burn marks round his neck, who was trying to die just 30 minutes before?’
    Inmate at Moorland young offenders institution, 13 May 1992. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/1/1/P).

  • Sizewell B nuclear power station, Suffolk, October 1993. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/1/1/N).‘When Sizewell B was completed in 1993, there was a photo opportunity to photograph it from a large bucket suspended from a crane. There were three of us in the bucket, and safety harnesses were attached to the crane, but because of the swinging and swaying, we got ourselves tangled up, so we had to unclip. Anybody looking up would have seen three men very high up performing a strange and very dangerous version of Twister. It was some years later before we were able to laugh about it.’
    Sizewell B nuclear power station, Suffolk, October 1993. (Archive ref. GUA/6/9/1/1/N).

  • Sue Johnston, 2000. ‘In 1999 we went completely digital. The cameras were real beasts, poor quality and horrible to use. It was like playing chess – not thinking about what’s happening, but what’s going to happen, they were so slow. This picture was the first I took where I thought I’d got the hang of it.’
    Sue Johnston, 2000.

  • Cow in the river Waveney at dawn, on a misty morning in rural Suffolk, 31 August 2008.‘I spend a lot of time walking in the countryside, so I meet and photograph a lot of cattle. Though personally I prefer pigs, which are more dog-like and you can have a better conversation with them. This is the favourite cow picture, taken early in the morning on the river Waveney.’
    Cow in the river Waveney at dawn, on a misty morning in rural Suffolk, 31 August 2008.

  • Professor Mike Fulford standing on the north gate of the Roman wall, Silchester Hampshire, 14 July 2009. ‘It’s always a pleasure to work with journalist Maev Kennedy. Great company, great writer and always enthusiastic. I remember this job because when I asked the archeologist if I could photograph him at the north gate with an artefact, he passed me a mint condition Roman vase. I recall going hot and cold when I looked at this very rare, very fragile vase, at my size 10s, the rutted, bumpy field I had to cross – and promptly handed it back.’
    Professor Mike Fulford standing on the north gate of the Roman wall, Silchester Hampshire, 14 July 2009.

  • The royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, 29 April 2011. ‘I am old enough to have first met Prince William’s mother when she was unknown, working at a nursery where we used to help her park her car. Although I am a republican, I do enjoy a good ceremony. Many hours of waiting for a few seconds of photography, but at least unlike conventional door-stopping you know the exact times and where they will appear.’
    The royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, 29 April 2011.

  • Patrick Barkham looking for otters on the river Bure with Mark Wilkinson, 27 March 2015. ‘I do enjoy working with Patrick Barkham. He can look at a muddy field and see the Garden of Eden. We went searching for otters on the river Bure – very cold, it rained most of the time. Hours later we had still seen no otters, were frozen stiff and soaking wet. It was still most enjoyable.’
    Patrick Barkham looking for otters on the river Bure with Mark Wilkinson, 27 March 2015.

  • Graham with Guardian columnist Rhik Samadder, 22 December 2015.‘Every three or four weeks I meet Rhik and we have the most tremendous fun. Normally I tell budding photographers to keep both eyes open but when I’m working with Rhik I have to shut them, otherwise I can’t stop laughing. It’s not a question of why, when arranging a pose – it’s why not?’
    Graham with Guardian columnist Rhik Samadder, 22 December 2015.
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