I was brought up on a staple diet of National Geographic magazines. Being visually keen from an early age, I think it was only natural that I got into photography, going through miles of film as I attempted to master the art.
After winning a Silver Medal in the Dunhill Competition in 1989, I was encouraged by Carmel Psaila to join the Malta Photographic Society which I duly did. At the time I was at university and I preferred spending the little free time I had out and about taking pictures. Over the next few years I went on to win two Dunhill Gold medals and a second Silver as well as a 1st Prize ISF Medal after the Dunhill was renamed to the Annual Competition.
Shooting a soccer match between Malta and the Czech Republic, October 2000
(Photo by Lino Arrigo Azzopardi/AP)
When The Malta Independent was launched in 1992, I seized the opportunity to turn professional and was their first photographer. I turned freelance not long afterwards. I convinced the directors of In-Nazzjon to finance a trip to Albania. This was a turning point for me, as it proved once and for all that it was reportage pictures that I wanted to do. The resulting work (words and photos) won me the BPC Award to Journalists 1993.
On board a Malta Armed Forces helicopter
By then I was undergoing further training at Sheffield College in the UK, an immensely rewarding experience as I was surrounded by friends who shared my all-encompassing passion for real photojournalism. I gained some work experience at The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian, in which I had a few pictures published.
On returning to Malta I resumed freelancing, also undertaking two trips to war-torn Bosnia. On both occasions fragile temporary cease-fires were in place. Getting arrested a couple of times by war-crazy soldiers wasn't my idea of fun, and I missed my baptism of fire by a whisker, but thought it wise not to complain.
Gornji-Vakuf, Bosnia - January 1995
Freelancing in Malta is not possible if you intend to specialise in one type of photography. You have to be able to handle a wide range of assignments, though personally I draw the line at weddings. I have done a handful, but always for close friends who begged me to do it for them because they wanted a 'reportage feel' to their wedding photos.
I joined The Times on a full-time basis towards the end of 1996. It gave me the opportunity to cover hard news, theatre, reportage and sports , just the sort of things I wanted to photograph.
In Vaduz, during the Liechtenstein Small Nations Games 1999.
The competitive urge is vital in this field of work. You're always trying to have a better picture than your colleagues working for rival papers. I won the Press Photography BPC Award to Journalists in 1997, 1999 and 2001.
I'm now Reuters' stringer in Malta. My pictures get to go round the world that way, though I rarely actually get to know if they've been published in some far-flung corner of the planet. However, nothing beats the satisfaction I got in June 1998 seeing one of my pictures on the front page of one of the world's most prestigious journals, Lloyd's List. Since then I've also seen my stuff in Newsweek, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The Daily Express, European Voice, La Stampa, La Repubblica, Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera, Gente, Chi. I've also freelanced for a variety of European and US publications.
I also did lots of freelance work for Greenpeace Mediterranean, and covered the Rainbow Warrior's actions in Lebanon, Israel and Malta in 1999. I've also done a fair bit of travelling as the President of Malta's official photographer.
On assignment for Greenpeace Mediterranean in Lebanon - 1999
Journalists (that's me in the centre, wearing a white cap) get assaulted by armed soldiers.
Photo courtesy of Daily Star, Lebanon
Photographing the Pope on his arrival in Malta, May 2001.
That's me, 3rd from the right in the front row.
Photo courtesy of Department of Information
This text last updated on 28 May 2002.
If you're actually that interested, you could check out these articles which have been written about me in the Maltese Press. But you've really got to have sod all to do :
Journal of the Malta Photographic Society No.47 (Aug-Oct 1993)
In-Nazzjon (Lifestyle supplement) 6 January 1995
The Times (Weekender) 7 October 1995
© Darrin J. Zammit Lupi 2000