Steve McCurry is one of the most popular artists in humanist photography and photojournalism. Throughout McCurry’s career, he has covered many conflicts in different parts of the world such as Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, and Cambodia. Most of his photos have been featured in different magazines across the world. Arguably the most famous and well-known photo of McCurry is the Afghan Girl shown above. This photo, which is often compared to Leonardo Di Vinci’s Mona Lisa, is of 12-year-old orphan, Sharbat Gula, a Pakistan refugee living at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp. The photo was taken in 1984 when the Soviet Union had taken over Afghanistan. The portrait of the girl symbolized the conflicts encountered by many refugees during the time. The dark red of the girl’s head covering contrasted against the dark green in the background really accentuates her bright green eyes. This is important as her eyes portray the pains encountered by many women in different refugee camps. The photograph also symbolizes the challenges encountered in many refugee camps across the globe.
