THE VOICE OF CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHER: STEVE McCURRY

– adapted by Ashley Crabill from the book steve mcCurry: a life in Pictures by Bonnie mcCurry (2018)

Steve mcCurry has been one of the most iconic voices in contemporary photography for more than 30 years, with scores of magazine and book covers, over a dozen books, and countless exhibitions around the world to his name.

Born in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, mcCurry studied film at Pennsylvania state University, before going on to work for a local newspaper. after several years of freelance work, mcCurry made his first of what would become many trips to India. traveling with a little more than a bag of clothes and another of film, he made his way across the subcontinent, exploring the country with his camera.

It was after several months of travel that he found himself crossing the border into Pakistan. there, he met a group of refugees from afghanistan, who smuggled him across the border into their country, just as the russian Invasion was closing the country to all western journalists. emerging in traditional dress, with a full beard and weather-worn features after weeks embedded with the mujahedeen, mcCurry brought the world the first images of the conflict in afghanistan, putting a human face to the issue on every masthead.

since then, mcCurry has gone on to create stunning images on all seven continents and countless countries. his work spans conflicts, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions, and contemporary culture alike – yet always retains the human element that made his celebrated image of the afghan girl such a powerful image.

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 an unprecedented four first prize awards from the World Press Photo contest. the minister of French Culture has also appointed mcCurry a Knight of the order of arts and letters and most recently, the royal Photographic society in london awarded mcCurry the Centenary medal for lifetime achievement.

From the time he was a child, Steve was never still, and he’s never been one to wait for things to happen to him. It has been said that only amateurs wait for inspiration; professionals just get up every day and go to work. In other words, proper artists don’t hope that inspiration will come to them, they actively seek it out. At first, Steve just wanted to travel, and photography was a way to allow him to do that.