In 1984, McCurry documented people living in the Nasir Bagh refugee camp; the image of Gula was subsequently published on the cover of National Geographic.
“Afghans were desperate to have their stories told because they were being overwhelmed by the Russians and were desperate to get their story out,” he says.
Al Ahmadi, Kuwait, 1991.Credit: Steve McCurry
Two decades later, in 2002, he pictured her again.
“We were all curious about who she was and what happened to her. And then, of course, once we found her, we tried to help her every way we could. That was a long saga.”
Sharbat Gula in the famous Steve McCurry photograph.Credit: Steve McCurry
Asked about the ethics of photography, McCurry suggests it comes down to whether you care about the world.
“If the answer is yes, then how the hell did you learn about that? Did you rely on your government to learn that? Probably not – there was probably some journalist who put their ass on the line.
“Everyone needs to respect each other – I think that starts and ends the conversation. If you point your camera up someone’s nose and it pisses them off, that’s probably not a good start.”
Despite the challenges, the 75-year-old says he never feels like giving up, “never for even a nanosecond”.
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“I love it too much. It would be like saying to your partner or your best friend: ‘Ever thought about breaking up?’”
In Conversation: A Photographic Dialogue Between Steve McCurry and Jessie Brinkman Evans is at Leica Gallery Melbourne, 267 Little Collins St, from August 1; and Leica Gallery Sydney, level 2, QVB, 455 George St, from August 9.
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