"I come to Glasgow, and I don’t speak English. I had no idea what people were saying to me! And the first people to help me – who were wonderful with me – were the children. And when I look at these photographs now, what is incredible is that I did two thirds of these photos with a 28mm lens. It was like a tracking shot. I walked and walked, for hours, and took photos of those I passed. I walked and walked, for hours, and took photos of those I passed.""I come to Glasgow, and I don’t speak English. I had no idea what people were saying to me! And the first people to help me – who were wonderful with me – were the children. And when I look at these photographs now, what is incredible is that I did two thirds of these photos with a 28mm lens. It was like a tracking shot. I walked and walked, for hours, and took photos of those I passed. I walked and walked, for hours, and took photos of those I passed."
"I come to Glasgow, and I don’t speak English. I had no idea what people were saying to me! And the first people to help me – who were wonderful with me – were the children. And when I look at these photographs now, what is incredible is that I did two thirds of these photos with a 28mm lens. It was like a tracking shot. I walked and walked, for hours, and took photos of those I passed. I walked and walked, for hours, and took photos of those I passed." | © Raymond Depardon | Magnum Photos

Glasgow in the Eighties: How French photographer Raymond Depardon captured the spirit of Glasgow in the 1980s

Paul Trainer
By Paul Trainer

Editor

Published 7th Jul 2024, 14:05 BST
Updated 18th Apr 2025, 12:53 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Photos, taken during trips to Glasgow in autumn 1980 spring 1981, are a fascinating photographic record of a Glasgow that has changed beyond recognition.

Born in France in 1942, Raymond Depardon is a prize-winning photojournalist and filmmaker, whose documentary work belongs to the direct cinema tradition. In 1980, following a commission by The Sunday Times, Depardon travelled to Glasgow where he went on to produce a collection of images of life in the city. They were never published, languishing in a box in his home before being resurrected for an exhibition.

The images give a powerful, emotional glimpse of a lost Glasgow from an era of change, when post-industrial challenges were met by resilience and a strong sense of community and identity. His photographs of Glasgow have been turned into a remarkable book, you can order a copy here.

In November 2020, the School of Modern Languages and Cultures of the University of Glasgow hosted an interview with Raymond Depardon on the topic of his celebrated photographs of Glasgow.

Images: © Raymond Depardon | Magnum Photos

"Maybe I held on to something from the last century, in taking photographs like I did in Glasgow, bringing the setting into my photos, with some closeups, but relatively few. Forty years on, people can find these photos interesting because they show a city that has disappeared."

5. Raymond Depardon | Magnum Photos

"Maybe I held on to something from the last century, in taking photographs like I did in Glasgow, bringing the setting into my photos, with some closeups, but relatively few. Forty years on, people can find these photos interesting because they show a city that has disappeared." | © Raymond Depardon | Magnum Photos

"In Glasgow, I have to say that this gentleman with a bandage on his eye gave me a solid punch in the face. He went by me just like that and then turned around … and bam! [laughs]. And I think he gave me black eye. But as regards everyone else, no, it was tremendous for me. Like in Africa, no one passed any remarks."

6. Raymond Depardon

"In Glasgow, I have to say that this gentleman with a bandage on his eye gave me a solid punch in the face. He went by me just like that and then turned around … and bam! [laughs]. And I think he gave me black eye. But as regards everyone else, no, it was tremendous for me. Like in Africa, no one passed any remarks." | Raymond Depardon

"In Glasgow, I think the children took me by the hand and brought me onto their territory. Maybe if I hadn’t been a foreigner, I wouldn’t have followed them. But they seemed so warm and kind and generous to me. They spoke to me constantly! I spoke to them with the few words of English that I knew."

7. Raymond Depardon | Magnum Photos

"In Glasgow, I think the children took me by the hand and brought me onto their territory. Maybe if I hadn’t been a foreigner, I wouldn’t have followed them. But they seemed so warm and kind and generous to me. They spoke to me constantly! I spoke to them with the few words of English that I knew." | © Raymond Depardon | Magnum Photos

"If I were to go to Glasgow today, I would do much more abstract shots, fragments. The photos would probably show less of the city. There would probably be more closeups of people. What is remarkable in these photos from 1980 is both the people and the setting."

8. Raymond Depardon | Magnum Photos

"If I were to go to Glasgow today, I would do much more abstract shots, fragments. The photos would probably show less of the city. There would probably be more closeups of people. What is remarkable in these photos from 1980 is both the people and the setting." | © Raymond Depardon | Magnum Photos

Previous
2 / 3
Next Page
Related topics:Glasgow
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice