Don McCullin really needs no introduction – born to a working class family in Finsbury Park in 1935, he became one of the best-respected photojournalists of his generation. He is best-known for his hard-hitting coverage of the Vietnam War and Northern Ireland troubles, but he also shot war, sickness and poverty in many other parts of the world, championing the downtrodden and discriminated. He is the patron of the Ian Parry Scholarship, which recognises the work of photojournalists in full time education or under the age of 24. This year it was won by Sebastian Liste, who McCullin described as the ‘standout’ winner. BJP caught up with him at the judging on 16 July to find out more.

Q: So what did you make of the winner?

A: We came to the right decision, it was a very strong set of pictures. Liste has real ability as a photographer and he can able to bring the images together to create an informative story. It hangs together. Others [other entries] were individual photographs, and you could see that the photographer had been in there [shooting] for about one day. Or people sent in good projects but they didn’t back it up with the talent. You have to have ability as a photographer. Liste’s project stood out a mile.

Q: It’s been described as traditional photojournalism, would you agree with that?

A: It’s a very interesting story – we live in a world where most work is in colour, and where people expect colour, digital images, but he worked in black-and-white in a Eugene Richards style. To me, black-and-white always stands up. And his story, people living in poverty Brazil – no one should have to live like that. Everyone should have a decent life, and life isn’t much fun in a dump like that. If I was young I’d go there and [take photographs that would] break peoples’ hearts.

We’re talking about politics – what happens when the majority doesn’t feel responsible for the poverty in the world. Too many awards are about war but social issues are just as important. People trying to survive in poverty are just as important as the war in Afghanistan. Millions of people are living in abject poverty while we are here eating nice food and drinking wine. We should be expected to share our lives. We should be looking closely at how to make our lives more fair. People should be more aware of politics but there’s a danger that as long as they can pop pills and listen to music they don’t want much more.

Q: Do you think photojournalism can help to do that?

A: TV is soundbites; photography deeply engages with issues. We get much more information through pictures. Photography [photojournalism] has been long spoken of as over, but we’re keeping it alive, going to these little places and bringing back photoessays. It’s a struggle, but life has improved.

Q: Do you think it was easier to become a photojournalist when you started out?

A: When I started up there was a real up yours society, it was very rock and roll. I had the good luck to be young in the early 1960s when things in England were really mushrooming. It was very exciting. The music explosion was a revolution that gave everyone a chance – the working class were given a break and I was one of those who managed to get through the net. But I had a hard time because I wasn’t educated. 

Now everyone is much more informed and educated, but I think you have to be tougher than I was. Young people say they want to be a photographer and finance it themselves. It’s fantastic people still want to be photographers – extraordinary really – but then you don’t go into photography thinking you’ll get rich and famous.

Q: Do you have any advice for young photojournalists?

A: The young people who didn’t win anything [in the Ian Parry] will be very cast down, but they must have confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself, who will do it for you? I believe in myself even to this day. But being humble isn’t a bad beginning – it means people underestimate you and it’s easier to take pictures.