This photo was taken in 1983 Rajasthan, India, near the India-Pakistan border when India and Pakistan were in conflict – it also happened to be the hottest time of the year. The image shows women dressed in traditional national clothing huddling together on the side of the road they were working on as a severe dust storm approaches them. McCurry was being driven on the highway when he saw the women begin to circle together in order to protect themselves from the harsh dust winds, which could result in the obstruction of breathing, eyesight, the ability to stand, etc. The women also began to sing a religious song and pray. I chose this photo as a part of my archive because similarly to Afghan Girl, the color red of the women’s traditional clothing is one of the more dominant aspects of the photo. The bright red emphasizes the pale, beige of the dust which completely covers the background. This, like many of his other works, emphasizes the challenges of living in an environment consumed with conflict as well as harsh, unforgiving climate conditions.
