One of the world's most venerated photographers, Cummins studied his craft for four years before diving into Manchester's burgeoning 1970s punk scene. In the decades that followed, he would capture definitive images of Joy Division, take live shots and portraits of David Bowie, and create an era-defining NME cover with The Stones Roses. His photographs for New Musical Express, where he was a contributor for more than twenty years, heralded the rise of the Manchester and Cool Britannia scenes.

He has published 14 critically acclaimed monographs to date, includingWhile We Were Getting High: Brit Pop and the ‘90s,Joy Division: Juvenes,Telling Stories: Photographs of The FallandDavid Bowie: Mixing Memory & Desire. His new book,Oasis: The Masterplan, is due for publication in April of 2025. His images have appeared on magazine covers, in art galleries and international films, and are included in the collections of The National Portrait Gallery and the V&A, among other institutions.