The Afghan Girl
I first became aware of photojournalist Steve McCurry when researching Afgahanistan for a textile project. The first image I saw was that of the 'Afghan Girl' (Newman, 2002), who appeared on the cover of National Geographic in June 1985. The girl in the photograph is Sharbat Gula and at the time resided in a refugee camp on the Pakistan border. What appealed to me about the photograph was the haunted look in her eyes and the uncertainty in her face about the future perhaps, or fear of the horrors which drove her from her homeland. By a twist of fate the girl who had never had her photograph taken before or since that occasion was reunited with McCurry in 2002. He took a second image which showed the effects of the harsh life Sharbat had endured. The full article and image can be found at http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text.
I particularly lked the photography for many reasons. Firstly the eyes of the girl show the lack of knowledge, an innocent look, but at the same time a haunted look - that of a child caught up in conflict. Secondly the colours in the photograph are so rich. The red of the scarf contrasts with the green of her eyes which is reflected in the colour of her dress. Thirdly, the pose was unlike any photographs I had taken before. I then used this pose in the photographs of the Vlillage Chief and Imam of Larabanga taken in Ghana (see my Photographic Work page).
Steve McCurry's Work
Steve McCurry's website http://stevemccurry.com/ contains a wealth of images from aroud the world. These are presented as an image gallery which can be shown as a slide show. There are no graphics on the website, just a plain black background and text links which enable the images to be showcased. The biography also showcases his work. This includes a visit to Angkor Wat in Cambodia in 1989. I connected with McCurry's images because he has photographed places I have visited like Angkor Wat and Cuba as well as places I would like to visit. Below are some examples of my own photographic work from Cambodia and Cuba.
I first became aware of photojournalist Steve McCurry when researching Afgahanistan for a textile project. The first image I saw was that of the 'Afghan Girl' (Newman, 2002), who appeared on the cover of National Geographic in June 1985. The girl in the photograph is Sharbat Gula and at the time resided in a refugee camp on the Pakistan border. What appealed to me about the photograph was the haunted look in her eyes and the uncertainty in her face about the future perhaps, or fear of the horrors which drove her from her homeland. By a twist of fate the girl who had never had her photograph taken before or since that occasion was reunited with McCurry in 2002. He took a second image which showed the effects of the harsh life Sharbat had endured. The full article and image can be found at http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text.
I particularly lked the photography for many reasons. Firstly the eyes of the girl show the lack of knowledge, an innocent look, but at the same time a haunted look - that of a child caught up in conflict. Secondly the colours in the photograph are so rich. The red of the scarf contrasts with the green of her eyes which is reflected in the colour of her dress. Thirdly, the pose was unlike any photographs I had taken before. I then used this pose in the photographs of the Vlillage Chief and Imam of Larabanga taken in Ghana (see my Photographic Work page).
Steve McCurry's Work
Steve McCurry's website http://stevemccurry.com/ contains a wealth of images from aroud the world. These are presented as an image gallery which can be shown as a slide show. There are no graphics on the website, just a plain black background and text links which enable the images to be showcased. The biography also showcases his work. This includes a visit to Angkor Wat in Cambodia in 1989. I connected with McCurry's images because he has photographed places I have visited like Angkor Wat and Cuba as well as places I would like to visit. Below are some examples of my own photographic work from Cambodia and Cuba.
Cuba
This image is very similar to the one which McCurry took in Havana in 2010 http://stevemccurry.com/galleries/cuba?view=slideshow. Old Havana is beautiful despite the decay. Here many buildings look almost ready for demolition from the outside however inside they can appear to be palaces. Cuba is well-known for its American 1950s cars which are loving maintained. Trabants brought from Eastern Europe feature widely alongside the modern cars and those I photographed in Old Havana in 2006, some 4 years before McCurry's visit. My images: the Capitol Building in Havana is iconic, Mardi Gras Dancer and Decay in Old Havana.
This image is very similar to the one which McCurry took in Havana in 2010 http://stevemccurry.com/galleries/cuba?view=slideshow. Old Havana is beautiful despite the decay. Here many buildings look almost ready for demolition from the outside however inside they can appear to be palaces. Cuba is well-known for its American 1950s cars which are loving maintained. Trabants brought from Eastern Europe feature widely alongside the modern cars and those I photographed in Old Havana in 2006, some 4 years before McCurry's visit. My images: the Capitol Building in Havana is iconic, Mardi Gras Dancer and Decay in Old Havana.
Cambodia
Angkor Wat is an amazing archeological site, and for me one of the wonders of the modern world. The images taken by McCurry are truly stunning http://stevemccurry.com/galleries/angkor-wat. All of these photographs were taken by me in 2007 during my visit to Cambodia and Laos. None of my images have been edited in any way and appear to be "washed out" compared with the brilliant colours visible in McCurry's work. My images: all photographs were taken around the Angkor Wat complex and show the different temples and methods of decoration.
Angkor Wat is an amazing archeological site, and for me one of the wonders of the modern world. The images taken by McCurry are truly stunning http://stevemccurry.com/galleries/angkor-wat. All of these photographs were taken by me in 2007 during my visit to Cambodia and Laos. None of my images have been edited in any way and appear to be "washed out" compared with the brilliant colours visible in McCurry's work. My images: all photographs were taken around the Angkor Wat complex and show the different temples and methods of decoration.
Techniques
Traditionally, McCurry acheived the vivid colours in his work through the use of Kodachrome film. However now he has no option but to move to digital photogrpahy because the film is no longer in production. "With digital photography, you gain many benefits [but] you have to put in post-production. [With Kodachrome] you take it out of the box and the pictures are already brilliant." (McCurry, 2013). This means that now McCurry employs image manipulation software and applies filters to alter the colour balance to acheive these results.
Traditionally, McCurry acheived the vivid colours in his work through the use of Kodachrome film. However now he has no option but to move to digital photogrpahy because the film is no longer in production. "With digital photography, you gain many benefits [but] you have to put in post-production. [With Kodachrome] you take it out of the box and the pictures are already brilliant." (McCurry, 2013). This means that now McCurry employs image manipulation software and applies filters to alter the colour balance to acheive these results.
References
Newman, C. (2002) A Lifre Revealed, National Geographic, April 2002
McCurry, S. (2012) Watch as National Geographic Photojournalist Steve McCurry Shoots His Last Ever Roll of KodaChrome, [online] http://www.openculture.com/2013/01/watch_as_national_geographic_photographer_steve_mccurry_shoots_the_very_last_roll_of_kodachrome.htm, accessed on 01/02/2013
Newman, C. (2002) A Lifre Revealed, National Geographic, April 2002
McCurry, S. (2012) Watch as National Geographic Photojournalist Steve McCurry Shoots His Last Ever Roll of KodaChrome, [online] http://www.openculture.com/2013/01/watch_as_national_geographic_photographer_steve_mccurry_shoots_the_very_last_roll_of_kodachrome.htm, accessed on 01/02/2013