Steve McCurry was born in a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; McCurry studied film at Pennsylvania State University, before going on to work for a local newspaper.
After several years of freelance work, McCurry made his first of what would become many trips to India. Since then, McCurry has gone on to create evocative images in over six continents and countless countries, with scores of magazine and book covers, as well as solo global exhibitions.
His image of a young Afghan refugee with piercing eyes – the June 1985 National Geographic cover – has become one of the most distinctive in photographic history. McCurry has been a contributor to Magnum since 1986.