Steve McCurry, an American photographer has created a remarkable body of work that spans five decades. It includes stunning photographs of children.
And some of these striking pictures have been bound together in a new book – Stories and Dreams (Laurence King Publishing).
The publisher says: ‘Throughout his long career, McCurry has taken incredible photographs of children, each one managing to hint at an epic story.
‘In Stories and dreamsHe brings 46 images of children, from Jaipur through Rome, to his unique collection. The new contemplative and sensitive title features some previously unpublished images which span the length of McCurry’s storied career.’
In the introduction to the book, Ziauddin Yousafzai, father of Malala, explains why he thinks McCurry’s photos are so special. He writes: ‘Steve McCurry’s unforgettable images brilliantly capture [the]The humanity and hearts of children extend beyond our borders. His art becomes a sort of meditation which is profound and unforgettable.’
Scroll down for ten arresting images from the new book.
An image of a boy resting against the cow in Kathmandu (Nepal) was taken in 2013. The national animal of Nepal is the cow. The cows are free to roam and considered sacred by Hindus, who make up 80 percent of Nepalis.
In a 2003 photo, a family is seen riding a donkey through Maimana in Afghanistan. McCurry says that McCurry is explaining to McCurry that this father is returning home after a visit to the market with his children.
In 1982, children play on a tank at Beirut (Lebanon). McCurry states that these tools of war were transformed into an informal playground, demonstrating children’s resilience. Children need to have fun, no matter what the circumstances or how hazardous the surroundings. Children need to play, whether it’s in water puddles and on tanks.
A group of boys playing on the Belo sur Mer beaches in Morondava in Madagascar. This image was taken in 2019.
LEFT: A little girl laughing at St. Paul’s Basilica in Rome in 1990. McCurry describes: McCurry said: ‘I photographed the boy exercising his muscles in Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma), which is where he lived. Every year, there are many thousands of sculptures. This image was taken in 2017.
The image was taken in Germany in 1990. McCurry says: “I spent three weeks in Flechtingen with the Rabe family, then East Germany. I had complete access to their daily lives. It was an amazing experience getting to know them.
The photo of three girls from Enna (Sicily) during Holy Week 2011 is taken by this photographer
The image depicts a father-daughter couple at Dal Lake, Srinagar in Kashmir in 1996. The couple is on their way towards a floating vegetable marketplace. McCurry says that there are thousands of canoe-like boat users in the area who use them to get to their homes.
Children cross a bridge in Mizoram, India, in a picture that McCurry took in 2006
Stories and Dreams: Portraits of Childhood by Steve McCurry is out now (£40, Laurence King Publishing)