I can still recall the first time I had seen the portrait of 10 year old Sharbat Gula, also known as the "Afghan Girl".
As a teenage kid, my immediate expression was one of shock. I was disturbed by the intensity of her eyes. It felt as though she was there in person, staring straight at you, as though you had done something wrong.
Years later, when I have a better comprehension of colour, composition, and light in photography, I have come to appreciate how powerful this portrait was for its time. It's clean, well-composed, and there is a contrast in colour between Gula's green eyes and her red headscarf.
More importantly, it's the intention and emotion behind the photograph.
When you are in a high-pressured situation with little room for error, the first thing that comes to mind would not be composition or colour. Steve McCurry, who by then had more than 10 years of photographic experience, knew who his main subject was when he stepped into the classroom at Nasir Bagh refugee camp. And he trusted his skills and instincts to bring to the world a mesmerising portrait.
There have been many discussions on the story of Sharbat Gula and Steve McCurry thus far. A quick search will show you accounts on the backstory behind the portrait and Gula's features and her current life. Her story has evidently brought worldwide recognition to McCurry.
Still, I want to dive deeper into McCurry's life and development as a photographer. Part of the reason why is to illuminate that capturing a single worthwhile photograph, like the "Afghan girl", requires grit, patience, luck, and a lifelong devotion to honing your craft.
In the heat of the moment, there is little to no time to ponder about the correct composition or wait for the right lighting conditions. All you have got to do is trust your instincts and let the camera do the work.
Life as a photographer: the defining scene
On a trip to Mexico in 1972, a 22 year old Steve McCurry captured a photograph of a man sleeping on the sidewalk:
In a TIME interview piece, McCurry describes this street photograph as "ironic" that there was this homeless man juxtaposed against the comfy living room ensemble on display. "There's a whole other world that he can't participate in," McCurry says.
This photograph would cement his decision to become a full-time photographer. After his stint at a small newspaper company, McCurry made his way to India, following the inspirational works of many great photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Margaret Bourke-White.
Since then, McCurry has never looked back. He has travelled to many countries and conflict zones—like Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Kuwait—and slipped past precarious borders to get up close with his subjects.
The confidence and the ease at which McCurry goes up to a stranger and strike a conversation is astounding. There were many times when I would be exploring Singapore's streets and wonder "should I ask that lady for a portrait" or "if only I had been a bit closer".
It's a constant grapple, especially on the streets of Singapore where people will often glare at you for pointing your camera at them. It's not a comfortable feeling. However, if you manage to muster up the courage to ask, the final image will be worth your discomfort.
Street photography: engage the streets
McCurry highlights the importance of engaging with people on the streets. He makes an effort to be friendly, present, and unobtrusive, no matter how discomforting he feels whenever he talks to strangers. He would also walk around the street for three to four hours to blend in with his environment.
His approach to street photography is minimal. McCurry will have one camera body and one portrait lens so that he does not stand out from the crowd. Also, the portrait lens allows him to replicate the personal connection and proximity he had with people. That means no hiding behind those long telephoto lenses!
Let the story come to you
The beauty of street photography is that there is always something happening. Life is unfolding in front of you. But if you are not moving about and observing, those meaningful moments will not come to you.
An excellent example is this photograph of an Indian boy captured in mid-flight:
As McCurry wandered through the streets, he recognised an alleyway with exciting wall texture and colour. He waited for people to come and go until he found the composition and action he was looking for.
This is not uncommon in McCurry's work ethic. Often, he would revisit a place on multiple occasions, waiting for the right moment and light to get a compelling image. He would spend time with the site of interest and let the story reveal itself to him.
"Perseverance, fortitude, and discipline. There are no shortcuts and no silver bullet," McCurry says.
Like any endeavour, it takes hours of practice and tedious work to train your eye and know the kinds of photographs you are drawn to. McCurry's work ethic illustrates how we cannot wait for inspiration to come to us—we need to be out there exploring and taking many not-so-great photographs until we capture one that inspires us.
A word about composition
More than techniques, McCurry advocates that there is no substitute for hard work.
He also believes that rules should be broken, like the widely cited rule of thirds in photography. While it's a great starting principle to follow, you should not feel chained by it. You should be allowed to experiment and discover your own photographic style.
You never know when a particular scenario might call for an unbalanced composition or an unusual angle to produce a dynamic photograph.
Still, we can learn a lot from merely looking at McCurry's photographs. There are specific patterns in his body of work he leans towards, like the use of repetition, scale, shadows, contrast, and juxtaposition.
Just observe his iconic picture of some fishermen in Sri Lanka—you can see how the repetition of the three fishermen on stilts creates a leading line that brings your eye into the photograph. From there, it zooms out onto the last fisherman in the water, encouraging you to view the image in greater detail. McCurry also makes a point to be at eye level with the subject to immerse the viewer into the scene.
Portrait photography: revealing the moment
Over the years, McCurry has produced many beautiful portraits. The "Afghan Girl" is, of course, one prominent example that comes to mind.
Similar to his street photography, McCurry's philosophy towards portrait photography is straightforward: the subject should carry the weight of the photograph on its own.
In all his portraits, he focuses his camera squarely on the subjects' eyes. At times, his subjects' eyes will also have catchlights in them that bring a spark to the images.
Other than that, there is no gimmick or over-editing—just plain simple point and shoot.
Work with the existing light
McCurry has mentioned that his preferred timings are early mornings and late afternoons to catch the soft, low contrast light. But as you know, Mother Nature does not always comply with our wishes.
Still, that should not stop us from going out and taking pictures. Whether it's a street lamp or torchlight, we as photographers and creatives should use what we have and find ways to overcome the challenge of low light.
Another point to note is to shoot in all types of weather conditions. In fact, some of McCurry's best photos come from braving severe weather. Whether it's rain, snow, or a dust storm, they can sometimes bring about unique lighting conditions and elicit unexpected expressions in people.
Use juxtaposition
Juxtaposition is probably one of McCurry's most used photography techniques. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, juxtaposition is defined as "the act or an instance of placing two or more things side by side often to compare or contrast or to create an interesting effect".
You will often see this in McCurry's photographs, where two or more opposing elements are placed within the same image.
Here you can see a monk in an Indian tea shop drinking a bottle of Coca-Cola. What's striking is the interplay between traditional and modern themes derived from the monk and Coca-Cola.
The monk can be associated with the idea of meditation and quiet reflection, whereas the Coca-Cola element is a multinational brand that is more associated with our fast-paced, urban context. These two diverging themes within a single image elicit a unique comment on the context of contemporary life.
Finding subjects and telling your story
McCurry's advice on storytelling is to find projects that you care about. There are occasions whereby projects may stretch to a few months or even years. The passion needs to be present to help us endure those long stretches of work.
Many of McCurry's photographs have revolved around social injustice, child labour, and women. Even before the "Afghan Girl", these are themes that he strongly believes in and are elicited through his photographs.
Before starting a project, it is best to consider whether the story engages us or brings us joy. Only then can we tell the story from our perspective and share our excitement with others.
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Click here to view the Steve McCurry Photography Pinterest board.
About the author: Darius Tay is a photographer/visual storyteller who loves capturing meaningful moments and uses photography to tell stories and find beauty in everyday life. If you would like to leave a comment or engage him, feel free to email him at dariustay5@gmail.com.
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