Steve McCurry

A young green eyed Afghan with a green, deep look that literally pierces you at first sight. Around her face we see a red piece of cloth, all on a background of the same color as her pupils.

You have probably recognized or at least already seen this portrait. This is the cover of a National Geographic magazine depicting the young Sharbar Gula, an Afghan refugee at that time. The creator of this mythical picture, photographer Steve McCurry, definitively inscribed his name in the history of photography with this image.

Born in 1950 in Philadelphia, Steve McCurry is an American photographer.

Before discovering his vocation as a photojournalist, Steve McCurry began studying cinema at the University of Pennsylvania, wishing to specialize in documentary making. After graduating with honors, he embarked on a journey across Europe, when he was only 19 years old. Subsequently, he extended his journey to South America and Africa. A real globetrotter he gets inspired with each one of his trips specially with the cultures he discovers.

To meet his passion for exploring he chose a profession that will allow him to pursue his adventures this is why he became a photographer. After two years working for the same newspaper, he left for India in 1978 and decided to become an independent photojournalist.

A fearless photographer, Steve McCurry travels to the heart of many zones of international conflict to cover the events. He will be remembered for his reports on the Iran-Iraq war, the civil war in Cambodia, the Gulf War and the division of the former Yugoslavia.

In 1986, he joined the famous Magum agency and worked besides other greatest photojournalists of his time.