Born in the UK, but of Welsh descent, David Hurn is a self-taught photographer who began his career in 1955 as an assistant at the Reflex Agency. Whilst a freelance photographer, he gained his early reputation with his reportage of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. Hurn eventually turned away from coverage of current affairs preferring to take a more personal approach to photography.

He became an associate member of Magnum in 1965 and a full member in 1967.