An Interview With | Steve McCurry | TEDxAmsterdamWomen

Sylvana Simons interviews Steve McCurry, an American editorial photographer best known for his photograph "Afghan Girl" which originally appeared in The National Geographic magazine.
Steve McCurry is an American editorial photographer best known for his photograph "Afghan Girl" which originally appeared in The National Geographic magazine.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@glennhuntphoto]

STEVE MCCURRY: "I believe that the picture should reflects exactly what you saw and experienced when you took the picture. I don’t think you should have any adjustment in terms of photoshop..colors. I want to capture life as it is without any interfering. I WANT TO REFLECT REALITY actually."

[@t4texas]

I'm more than disappointed in McCurry. I'm pissed-off at him. Really pissed.

[@BogotaEnglish]

Man I know how you feel!

[@frederus]

unbelievable

[@stuchly1]

yeah, ain't buying it either

[@danacousins]

I remember having this same conversation with a well known photographer in my city. And I said basically the same thing as Steve in this interview. I remember the answer I got from this photographer that kind of disappointed me. He said the capture of the image is the birth of the image, and editing is the food we give it to grow. I do understand this what he meant. But wouldn’t it be remarkable in this age of digital wizardly that we could just show what we see with our eyes instead of trying to redo what we felt in our heart why we pushed the shuttle in the first place? Interesting thought

[@vgcamara]

'its a privilege to have made that picture'. so much class and humility. thanks for your amazing work Steve!

[@jeremoe1]

I totally enjoyed this video. It was very inspirational for any photographer, I'm sure, at least that is the way I feel after watching this. I've been familiar with his work and seeing this video has given me a greater in-depth into Steve McCurry's life's work. Thanks for sharing.

[@subhojitsingha8957]

Mr. Steve McCurry: " I love India!" Loved this word

[@hassansheikh2615]

He is an incredible photographer and a wonderful human being! It is a delight to look at his photographs and to listen to stories behind these shots!

[@janjespersen8838]

Maybe, but he is also a lying human being. Very sad. No respect from me anymore!

[@wesamsaka2437]

+Jan Jespersen why ?

[@janjespersen8838]

Wesam Saka haven't you heard? He always preached not to manipulate photos in Photoshop. And also stated that he did not. But he was... Big time. And first he blamed his assistant. The he admitted he did it himself... I am pretty sure that his famous image with the girl with the green eyes was manipulated.... Photo journalism cannot have guys like that...

[@rocco6544]

+Jan Jespersen he wants his images to reflect what the actual situation meant to him. Most times, that will require adjustments. A photo NEEDS to talk to the viewer. If it takes manipulation, so be it. If you need to trick the viewer into considering it authentic, so be it. Photography is this awesome artform, because the artist himself can take incredible influence . I am not familiar with those accusations, however, I don't care or mind. Steve understood photography, most of us have not.

[@janjespersen8838]

+Bob Andrews , yes. But as you say "Photography is this awesome art form" So if you look at a photography as art, fine. But photojournalism is a different thing. It needs to show the situation as close as the situation actually was. Guys like Steve sets the whole heart of photojournalism at stake... And why does he first deny, then blames an assistant and finally admits he did it? I am not saying he is a bad photographer. But he has no respect to me as a photojournalist as he used to call himself (and a human being, since I never respect people who lies, talented or not).

[@carrie_solojourney8084]

He never never disappoint me not matter his photographic works or as an inspiring and humble person

[@VikasKM]

What's wrong with this interviewer?? And why are the images shown with wrong aspect ratio ?? Is it hard to show in original aspect ratio ??

[@Ron_Boy]

Different cameras havw different aspect ratios. They're not all the same.

[@abraxamovic]

Ron Carroll it’s not about the cameras, the images are projected as stretched and squeezed. If they’d given little more effort, they’d have gotten it right!

[@charityrsimmons]

I’m assuming the interviewer was nervous..possibly. Overall I enjoyed hearing Steve talk about his work! Very inspiring!

[@gcproductions5881]

She spoked well and asked very interesting questions, she has done a beautiful job in my opinion :)

[@GeraldMoncrief]

For sure one of my favorite photographer but I would really like to know more about Sylvana. Couldn't take my eyes off her.

[@tallaganda83]

Gerald Moncrief Great body

[@Amarrebhai]

Something I always dont support is changing the picture in post processing so much you don't recognize what you took a picture of and am pro very small editing if not against it and hearing it from steve gives me joy.

[@smokey267]

Comments from 5 months ago vs now. What a difference lol

[@gerrit159]

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@rajanbasnet1379]

Having a iPhone doesn't makes you photographer!

[@bqfilms]

not having a pro camera doesnt not make you a photographer either. I have seen people take incredible photos with their phone, me included.

[@goat2503]

I’m a photographer, and sure you can’t get the depth of field etc that I can get with my Sony s7riii with a 55 1.8 etc. But you can absolutely shoot good photos with your phone in the right lighting conditions, especially if you use a camera app that lets you shoot raw.

[@michaeljamieson3582]

Sure it does, doesn't make you a good one though.

[@youliveonly2]

0:20 she actually looks at the screen behind him to double check what his name is

[@BardanGhimirexyz]

Capture life as it is capture reality My favorite line

[@BogotaEnglish]

This interview reminds me of Armstrong in his winning days...

[@DJModsChannel]

wink wink, nod nod, know what you mean

[@diegolorenzo5684]

Armstrong sucks

[@choongching]

Did you still orchestrate the image? = The meaning behind this question - "Did you gave USD 10 bucks to the lady and asked her to walk slowly in front of your lens."

[@sezan7589]

That interviewer Doesn't know anything about photography. The question is why is she interviewing him in the first place?

[@GianlucaStorani]

Tell to the world that sometimes the scene is not so spontaneous and that maybe a digital editing is also required, is not bad.. and so different from the rest of photographers in this globe. Still, every work from Steve is incredible ART.

[@zeissiez]

Despite all the criticism of him for post-processing and staging some of his photos, he is still one of my favourite photographers. The core of his work is still excellent despite those touch up. Having said that, I never enjoyed any interviews with Steve McCurry, his messages were always vague and unclear.

[@tallaganda83]

Zeis Siez He has a great eye there is no doubt.

[@sridipnag1117]

That interviewer!!! Ufff

[@latenightlogic]

Although I’ve enjoyed this video in the past and greatly respect him as a photographer, rewatching it again knowing more about photography it suddenly occurs to me the great shame him saying he’s switched over to fully digital.

[@antonmarino6568]

Human interest photos are the very essence in photo travel.

[@joseherrera8489]

"Why wait 2 months if you can instantly just check?" Wow.

[@Kevin14henrY]

I am lucky to see in his era

[@CaptainFuzzzy]

Man he edited his photos all the way back in the 1980’s. Just look up the original Nat Geo Afghan girl prints snd look at the tear duct. He should reflect more on his statement that his photos should reflect His vision and what he recalled in the moment rather than just say the moments were accurate to the moment.

[@freshmaker4o]

"I have a lot to be modest about" :D

[@makeithappen3135]

1:12 this picture was not taken in 1996. It was taken in 1993. At least it is what his gallery said that I recently visited.

[@thecataclysmtube]

WTF is this aspect ratio of this pictures? Can you show them as they are? Is this so difficult? Seriously?!

[@ryanjosephdaley6723]

35mm film and DSLR cameras have an aspect ratio of 3:2

[@Ron_Boy]

Cameras are made with differing aspect ratios. Some 3:2, some 4:3, some 1:1. And there are other aspect ratios as well.

[@sreehariradhakrishnan9295]

These photos are stretched, not anything to do with ar.

[@shihabphotography]

Brilliant.... loved this

[@itsjorgieeSF]

This interviewer kept trying to make all her questions towards women political. Yes, Steve had to take the hard pictures when people are going through hard times it’s to show how hard life really is outside of our privileged 1st world life. Steven is the greatest portrait photographer ever.

[@SurinderSingh-SinghStyleStudio]

interesting interaction & images ...

[@jamesdeak630]

She's a horrible interviewer

[@watch4theend]

As a designer, I use photoshop only for product photography, because the pics have to look clean and unnatural. using ps in real life photos shows only the disability of the photographer to see with his eyes the reality. every photographer using photoshop for non products paint the picture in an unreal disreality - only their imagination. it has nothing to do anymore with "life as it is". we live in a world that is unreal so the images are unreal and everything "real" is unaccepted.

[@nice.diverjeff5883]

Then in your own words you are a bad photographer because you have to manipulate a photo to con consumers

[@WilliamLesourd]

If you shoot raw, you’ll need some amount of color and contrast retouching. Probably doing a bit of dodge and burn will make your main subject pop out a little more too. And to finish, a bit of sharpening won’t do it any harm either. I repeat, if you shoot raw, which is what most pro photographers do.

[@akhilravi6472]

NIKKON FM2 :)

[@petercdejong]

Sylvana. -1

[@Magneira]

The days of the while male photographer parachuting in are over.

[@melancholicsage]

This is the worst Ted talk I've heard in ages. The interviewer has no idea either about photography or sociology, and as much as I admire Steve McCurry as a photographer, I think he's a pretentious Westerner with a noveau white man's burden on his shoulder.

[@AB.926]

thank you for saying this, specially when he is talking about the lady who was widowed, or the lady in the rain outside his taxi, it is condescending!

[@Kash249]

👠

[@federicabevilacqua6184]

she's so bad! Such a bad interview!

[@Kash249]

👚

[@teleaddict23]

Another one jumped on the digital bandwagon. His best photos were taken with Kodachrome film.

[@maxratzlaff8333]

Do you really think he cares about being a film snob? a brilliant photographer like Steve will always capture incredible images and digital photographic tech will only make it easier for him.

[@slimnics]

if he thought his best photos were taken, he would stop. Digital is not better it is just different. It has a different look and a different user experience.

[@Kash249]

👛

[@Kash249]

l 🏥

[@dondons5688]

Steve McCurry, great Photoshopper! Google it!

[@PortugueseGirl27]

Basically Steve Curry explored the situation .... made money from it not even gave any money to the people on cam. Im sorry but he lost all my respect.

[@itsjorgieeSF]

When you go to work is your intention to be mediocre? This photography is what made him these are impactful stories that had to be told.