Afghan Girl

Remember this famous photo from the June 1985 cover of National Geographic? The photo was taken in the Nasir Bagh refugee camp in Pakistan. She was an Afghan refugee.

The photo was taken by Steve McCurry. In 2002, he went back to the same refugee camp to look for her and found her.

Her name is Sharbat Gula and is married with three children. She was complete unaware of her international fame and only had her photo taken twice. Once for the cover of the magazine, the second time when Steve McCurry found her again.

This is her photo in 2002

Interesting isn't it? Steve McCurry is a world-renowned photographer whose images have been featured in every major magazine in the world and frequently appears in National Geographic.

In reading his blog, he says that a lot of people ask him about how to become a photographer. He said that he almost never mentions cameras, lenses or techniques. Instead, he says "If you want to be a photographer, first leave home." He also quotes Paul Theroux, a great writer and friend, who further advises, “Go as far as you can. Become a stranger in a strange land. Acquire humility."

Steve McCurry says, "leaving home really means that the photographer (or writer) has to wander, observe, and to paraphrase Theroux, concentrate on people in their landscape. That is what I try to achieve in my pictures."

Steve is right in what he tells people asking him how to become a photographer. I can started improving my shots the day I stopped being shy and just keep shooting anything and everything that catches my attention. The camera you have, the lens you have or technique you use is irrelevant unless you have the guts to go out and ignore what you think people may think of you when you go out and shoot.

By the way, Steve McCurry still shoots with film.

Here is Steve McCurry's website and here is his blog.