This photograph was taken on McCullin’s first international assignment where he had been sent by the Observer newspaper to cover the civil war in Cyprus. One of his first war pictures, the scene was captured in the middle of a gun battle where McCullin’s vantage point was behind an armoured car. Strong vertical lines from the bullet riddled walls frame the gunmen and the strong contrast in dark and light tones draws the viewer’s eye to the men’s attire. McCullin employs this technique to stress that they are civilians and highlight the nature of the conflict. He was the only photojournalist present at this particular incident and felt a strong responsibility to record what was happening and convey it to the world.