Steve McCurry (American, b. 1950) is a renowned photographer whose evocative work spans global cultures, human experiences, and the impacts of conflict. He began his career as a newspaper photographer while earning a theater arts degree from Pennsylvania State University, graduating in 1974. After two years at Today's Post in King of Prussia, PA, he freelanced in India, often venturing off the beaten path. Early on, McCurry crossed into Afghanistan before the Soviet invasion, disguising himself in native garb and smuggling out film sewn into his clothes—yielding some of the first images of the conflict. This marked the start of extensive war coverage in regions like Beirut, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, the Philippines, and later Afghanistan again. Rather than epic battles, McCurry's photographs focus on war's toll on people and places, conveying stark realism through unguarded emotions and damaged landscapes. His iconic 1984 portrait "Afghan Girl," a young refugee in Pakistan, graced National Geographic's June 1985 cover. Dubbed the "Afghan Mona Lisa," it symbolizes war's orphans and global refugee struggles, becoming the magazine's most recognizable image.The entire Steve McCurry catalogue is available @ifacarts.