Photojournalist & Visual Storyteller; Creator of "Afghan Girl"; Robert Capa Gold Medal Recipient; Author of 20+ Photography Books
Steve McCurry Biography
Steve McCurry is an American photojournalist known for his contributions to visual storytelling and documentary photography. With a career spanning more than four decades, McCurry has documented conflicts, natural disasters, and ancient cultures worldwide. He is recognized for his distinctive use of color and composition, often focusing on capturing unguarded moments and the human experience.
McCurry's career gained international attention after he traveled in India and was smuggled into Afghanistan by refugees during the Soviet invasion. His images from Afghanistan were published by major publications including The New York Times and TIME Magazine, earning him the Robert Capa Gold Medal for Best Photographic Reporting from Abroad. This assignment marked the beginning of his extensive work covering war zones in locations such as Beirut, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, the Philippines, and Afghanistan.
During an assignment in Afghanistan, McCurry captured the portrait "Afghan Girl" in a refugee camp near Peshawar, Pakistan. The photograph, featuring a 12-year-old Pashtun orphan named Sharbat Gula, appeared on the cover of National Geographic Magazine and is regarded as one of the most recognizable images in photojournalism. Years later, McCurry located Gula, and their reunion was documented in the documentary "Afghan Girl: Found," for which he was a co-recipient of the New York Film Festival Gold.
Throughout his career, McCurry has received multiple industry honors, including the Robert Capa Gold Medal, the National Press Photographers Award, and four first-prize awards from the World Press Photo contest. He was appointed a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the Minister of French Culture and received the Centenary Medal for Lifetime Achievement from the Royal Photographic Society in London. McCurry has published more than 20 books, including "The Imperial Way," "Monsoon," "Portraits," "South Southeast," "The Path to Buddha: A Tibetan Pilgrimage," and "Devotion: Love and Spirituality."
McCurry's work has been exhibited in museums and galleries internationally, with exhibitions at Cavalier Galleries in New York and Greenwich, as well as at Palazzo dei Priori in Fermo and Palazzo Gromo Losa and Palazzo Ferrero in Biella, Italy. His photography encompasses conflict zones, vanishing cultures, ancient traditions, and contemporary society, consistently emphasizing the human element that defines his approach to documentary photography.
Steve McCurry Speaking Topics
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Search for the Afghan Girl
His iconic image of the young Afghan refugee girl resonated more than any National Geographic cover in recent memory. McCurry would search the Afghanistan/Pakistan border camps for 20 years before finding Sharbat Gula again to learn her story.
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Close Calls
On assignment for National Geographic, McCurry has had his share of close calls—surviving a plane crash into a lake in the Balkans; riding in a lost plane, searching for the runway as it runs out of fuel over Africa; being attacked by a mob during a religious frenzy; and twice reported killed—and has emerged to tell the tales, crediting a mix of good fortune, destiny, and more than one heroic bystander.
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How do I book Steve McCurry to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Steve McCurry for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Steve McCurry, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Steve McCurry or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Steve McCurry
Speaking fees for Steve McCurry, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Steve McCurry are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Steve McCurry, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Steve McCurry speak about?
Steve McCurry is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Art & Design, Bestselling Authors, Creativity, Culture, News & Media, Non-Fiction Authors, Photography, Television & Film -
Where does Steve McCurry travel from?
Steve McCurry generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Steve McCurry’s agent?
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Steve McCurry is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Search for the Afghan Girl, Close Calls, Steve McCurry: Face to Face and Stories From the Field. The estimated speaking fee range to book Steve McCurry for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Steve McCurry generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jimmy Nelson, Jim Richardson, Aaron Huey, Wade Davis and Karen Kasmauski. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Steve McCurry for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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