BE INSPIRED: MY FIRST FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHER

I wouldn't say that I was the 'arty type' so I very rarely get captivated by things like this. A few weeks ago I was scrolling through my instagram and a photograph - unique to my feed full of food/selfies/drunken-nights-on-the-town - caught my attention.

The photo that caught my attention on instagram. I'm in love with the determination and curiosity painted over the boys' faces - especially the two in the front.

Subsequently to my discovery of an incredibly talented photojournalist named Steve McCurry (and having insta-stalked his work) I found my eyes had been drawn to his website like magnets.

I read McCurry's bio of how he travelled to India following his degree in Film. Before I knew it I'd moved on to submerge myself into casually flick through every single one of his photographs from his travels. But - really - unlike the majority of pictures I've come across in my lifetime, these weren't ones I could just glance at for a couple of seconds and then simply move on. I realised it was the first time I really appreciated how art can have so much more to offer than simply what the eye sees. I was hooked. Every photo had a story to tell. There is something about his craft that allows us to understand the experience of the people captured, or the feeling of the scene, without actually having much knowledge about it at all.

I feel like not only can he prove - especially to the younger generation... including me -  that a camera has so much more power than taking a few selfies or holding a Kim Kardashian photoshoot, but there is so much in the world to see than what is in this little English bubble. Despite always believing I was a relatively open minded person, I've realised there is so much more culture and history in the world that I'd imagined, and issues that I really need to consider more.

I'm not in any way educated in art or photography, but I do know this man is the epitome of a creative (and intelligent) talent. If photography is your kinda thing, or you fancy being inspired, you must check out his work.

Steve McCurry
Website: http://stevemccurry.com/
Instagram: stevemccurryofficial

“What is important to my work is the individual picture. I photograph stories on assignment, and of course they have to be put together coherently. But what matters most is that each picture stands on its own, with its own place and feeling.”

-Steve McCurry