Photographer of the Week

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Steve McCurry - Photographer of The Week

Early Life: Steve McCurry, was born on April 23, 1950, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He pursued his education at Penn State University, initially intending to study cinematography and filmmaking. He graduated in 1974 with a degree in theater arts. His interest in photography took off during his time studying at Penn State while he  was working for The Daily Collegian newspaper. After Graduating, McCurry worked for a local newspaper before embarking on his first trip to India. This journey marked the commencement, which would become an incredible career as a photojournalist.

Early Career: In the early stages, Steve McCurry worked as a press photographer in Pennsylvania. After two years, he decided to work freelance and made his first trip to India. This journey was transformative for McCurry, as it marked the beginning of his career as a photojournalist.

McCurry’s breakthrough came when he crossed the Pakistan border into rebel-controlled areas of Afghanistan, disguised in Afghani attire, just before the Soviet invasion. He managed to capture images of the war-torn region, which were among the first to reveal the brutality of the Russian invasion to the world. These images were subsequently published by The New York Times, Time, and Paris Match, earning him the Robert Capa Gold Medal for Best Photographic Reporting from Abroad.

Throughout his early career, McCurry covered several armed conflicts, including the Iran–Iraq War, Lebanon Civil War, the Cambodian Civil War, the Islamic insurgency in the Philippines, the Gulf War, and the Afghan Civil War. His work has been featured in magazines worldwide, and he is a frequent contributor. National Geographic. Despite the dangers and challenges, McCurry remained committed to showcasing the human impact of war through his photography.



Claim to Fame: In 1984, McCurry captured the iconic image of a young Afghan refugee, Sharbat Gula who was living in Peshawar, Pakistan. The photograph, known as “Afghan Girl,” appeared on the June 1985 cover of National Geographic. The portrait features Gula, who was 12 years old at the time. Her famous green eyes can be seen staring directly into the camera. She was wrapped in a ragged red scarf, and her intense gaze gave us an immediate sense of what she was experiencing. The photograph was taken on Kodachrome 64 color slide film, with a Nikon FM2 camera and Nikkor 105mm Ai-S F2.5 lens.

The image became emblematic of the plight of refugees worldwide and is often described as the "First World’s Third World Mona Lisa". CNN even called it the 'world’s most famous photograph’. In the early 2000s, McCurry and a National Geographic team returned to Afghanistan to find Gula. After several attempts and false identifications, they found Gula, who was by then around age 30, in a remote region of Afghanistan. Her identity was confirmed using iris recognition.

Gula had experienced incredible hardship between the time of her initial photo and the time the team had discovered her. She had lost her husband to hepatitis C in 2012 as well as losing one of her daughters to an illness. She herself was also suffering from hepatitis C and poor eyesight. She had been arrested by the Pakistani authorities in 2016 for being in possession of a fake identify and was deported back to Afghanistan after spending more than two weeks in jail.

As of  Nov. 2021, Gula and her four children were granted asylum in Italy, where they are currently living. She is one of many Afghan refugees who have found safety and stability in foreign countries since the transition of power in Afghanistan by Taliban forces. 

 

McCurry's Photos have a distinctive ability to capture the human element and the unguarded moment in his subjects, regardless of the cultural, ethnic, or religious differences. He also uses vibrant colors and contrasts to create a visual impact. One thing I really admire about his work is his courage and dedication to document the stories of people affected by war, conflict, and social issues, often risking his own life in the process. He has covered many regions and events, such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, the Cambodian Civil War, and the Afghan Civil War. What was unique about his subject matter is his focus on the human condition and the universal emotions that connect us all, such as joy, sorrow, fear, and hope. He also explores the vanishing cultures, ancient traditions, and contemporary issues of the world.

 

Continued Work: McCurry continued to cover armed conflicts including the Iran-Iraq War, the Gulf War, and the Afghan Civil War. He has published many books including: The Imperial Way, Potrraits, Sanctuary: The Temples of Angkor, The Path to Buddha, Looking East, and The Unguarded Moment.

McCurry’s work is grounded in people. He looks for the unguarded moment, what is described as "the soul peeking out" with the experience etched on a person’s face. He tries to convey what it is like to be that person, someone caught in a broader landscape that you could call the human condition. He wants his viewers understand the human connection and hopes to create that with his photojournalism.

       


Favorite Photo: The photo known as the "Camels Under a Blackened Sky" shows a group of camels walking across a barren landscape, with a dark and smoky sky above them. The contrast between the animals and the environment creates a powerful visual impact, highlighting the devastating effects of war on nature and humanity.

This photo is one of my favorites because it tells a compelling story of survival and resilience in the face of adversity. I think it also shows a lot of courage as a photographer, as we can see he risked his life to document the war and its consequences. I really admire his dedication to photojournalism and the willingness to go into danger just so we can see these pictures from the comforts of our own modern lives

Awards and Recognitions: McCurry has been recognized with some of the most prestigious awards in the industry, including the Robert Capa Gold Medal, National Press Photographers Award, and four first prize awards from the World Press Photo contest. His most recent award was from the Royal Photographic Society in London. They awarded McCurry the Centenary Medal for Lifetime Achievement. McCurry was then inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame in 2019.



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