London Photojournalist Peter Dench on the Most Important Photo He’s Ever Taken

© Peter Dench

Peter Dench: The most important photograph I’ve taken is always the next one. However in retrospect, it’s probably a photograph of a drink-driving accident captured on a night patrol with the Bristol medical rapid response team as part of a wider reportage looking at England’s relationship with alcohol. I’m known for my more humorous photographs and believe humor can be an important tool in delivering a serious message. However, sometimes photography shouldn’t be funny, clever or humorous. At times, it just has to document what is. It was a photograph of mixed feelings: I didn’t want to have wasted my time and I didn’t want anyone to get hurt but I did want to produce a photograph that highlighted the perils of drunk-driving. It was an uncomfortable and necessary experience in my photographic development.