Steve McCurry

Born in the United States in 1950, Steve McCurry has been one of the most emblematic figures in contemporary photography for more than thirty years. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he studied cinematography at Pennsylvania State University before working for a newspaper. After two years, he made his first trip to India — the first of many. Travelling with little more than a bag of clothes and rolls of film, he crossed the subcontinent, exploring the country with his camera.

His career as a photojournalist began with his coverage of the Soviet–Afghan war. In Afghanistan, McCurry disguised himself in local dress to work unnoticed and smuggled his rolls of film out of the country sewn into his clothing. His images were among the first to portray the conflict and received wide circulation.

Since then, McCurry has created unforgettable images across six continents and numerous countries. His work ranges from documenting conflicts and disappearing cultures to ancient traditions and contemporary society, always maintaining the human element that made his celebrated image of the Afghan girl so powerful.

McCurry has been recognised with some of the most prestigious distinctions, including the Robert Capa Gold Medal, the National Press Photographers Award, and a record four First Prize awards in the World Press Photo competition, among many others. Steve McCurry has been a member of Magnum Photos since 1986.