One of the world’s most famous photographers shares an amazing series of photos from his 40-year career in a new book, and they all share a common theme: spirituality.
Steve McCurry “explores human spirituality in all its remarkable diversity and beauty,” explains publisher Prestel in his new book Devotion.
The photographer, whose work is regularly published in National Geographic and who is part of the respected Magnum Photos collective, gained fame with his 1984 “Afghan Girl” portrait of Sharbat Gula, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan during the Soviet- Afghan War.
In the following years, he traveled the world with his camera, capturing impressive scenes everywhere, from New York and India to Afghanistan. Photographs included in Devotion include a poignant photograph of a woman caring for her sick cousin, a moving image of a woman polishing her late husband’s tombstone, and a tranquil shot of a woman meditating by the Ganges.
“McCurry captures poignant moments of commitment, loyalty, faithfulness and commitment,” the publisher says of his book. “Rendered in beautiful colors, these photographs celebrate the universal desire to create meaning in the midst of everyday life and offer viewers the opportunity to connect with their own spirituality – no matter what form it takes.”
Scroll down to view this “powerful collection of spiritually driven imagery”…
This 2010 photo shows elephants and mahouts (people who care for elephants) at a sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand
In Kabul, Afghanistan, a man is seen hugging his dog next to his taxi, which was destroyed when the nearby building collapsed due to shelling. The emotional photo was taken by McCurry in 1992
Here, Steve McCurry captures the tender moment a nurse checks the vital signs of a homeless man in Los Angeles, California
This touching photo, taken in Vietnam in 2007, shows a sick man’s aunt helping to care for him
The tender moment a woman cleans the headstone of her late husband’s grave in East Germany in 1989 – the year the Berlin Wall fell
In this beautifully composed shot from 1988, an elderly couple walks to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, a church in Lourdes, France. McCurry notes, “They walked in front of a sign that was a metaphor for their loving relationship.”
This colorful photo from 2004 shows monks hanging from a metal beam at the Shaolin Martial Arts School in Zhengzhou, China
In this 1996 photo, a woman carrying metal boxes walks past hundreds of praying men at Bandra railway station in Mumbai, India
This devastating photo shows a brave firefighter climbing a ladder at Ground Zero in New York after the attacks of September 11, 2001. McCurry lived nearby and when he heard what happened, he went straight to the site with his camera to capture the to document tragedy
This moving shot shows a man praying at the site of a temple washed away during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Kathaluwa, Sri Lanka
This striking photo by McCurry shows a premature baby being treated at a hospital in Jaipur, India in 2008
LEFT: This touching photo from 1985 shows a grandfather carrying his grandson on his back. It was recorded by McCurry in Tokyo, Japan. RIGHT: This peaceful image – taken by McCurry in 1994 – shows a meditating man standing in front of Sule Pagoda, a Buddhist stupa in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city
This beautiful photo shows a woman with stray dogs resting during her early morning meditation on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi, India. It’s from 2010
In this intimate photo from 1989, an elderly couple returns home after working in their corn fields in Gostivar, Macedonia
Dedication by Magnum Photos and National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry is published by Prestel and will go on sale November 1 for £50, €65.51 or $65. The beautiful 1994 photo on the cover shows monks carrying a pilgrimage to the temple Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, a rock covered in gold leaf on which sits a pagoda. McCurry spent days on site to determine the best vantage point and time to take the photo, and ended up taking this photo just after sunset
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
