The Afghan Girl

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dinners

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Stumbled over this by chance really and being one of 'those images' that seems to have become well known figured it may be an intersting read.....

She remembers the moment. The photographer took her picture. She remembers her anger. The man was a stranger. She had never been photographed before. Until they met again 17 years later, she has not been photographed since...........

3 page story here....

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2002/04/afghan-girl/index-text

& a wee video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llxw0bL7wfQ
 
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A dutch kiting friend of mine has taken this image and made a kite out of it. It's not the usual type of kite you'd see on a beach and is called an Edo which is a traditional japanese style. Impressive enough especially if I also point out that the image on the face of the kite is not printed but appliqued pieces of material. Here's a photo I took at a kite festival last year.

Portsmouth2010-084.jpg
 
Thanks for this. The photograph was iconic and it's very easy to forget the years that have passed. I doubt if many of us have ever paused to think about what happened to the girl. More or less what would be expected, I suppose.
 
iconic indeed...

...doesn't look like the same person to me, but iris recognition apparently confirmed it is :shrug:
 
Thanks for that. It was a good read. :)

I hope she has had more joy and happiness in her life than she has made out, otherwise that is an extremely sad story. :(
 
It was the numbers I found staggering - Twenty-three years of war, 1.5 million killed, 3.5 million refugees
 
Delta Skies said:
A dutch kiting friend of mine has taken this image and made a kite out of it. It's not the usual type of kite you'd see on a beach and is called an Edo which is a traditional japanese style. Impressive enough especially if I also point out that the image on the face of the kite is not printed but appliqued pieces of material. Here's a photo I took at a kite festival last year.

Portsmouth2010-084.jpg
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That's great :thumbs:
 
Thanks for the reminder - this is one of my all-time favourite images and what turns me to portraits in my photography:thumbs:
 
Would it be wrong to suggest that Steve McCurry owes his career to that image?

There's no mention of him making a donation to her/her family.
 
furq said:
Would it be wrong to suggest that Steve McCurry owes his career to that image?

There's no mention of him making a donation to her/her family.
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Fair point........ but do you think they'd actually accept?
 
Definitely added an adjustment brush to those eyes and increased the exposure by nearly a stop.

Easily done in Lightroom.
 
cyclamens said:
Fair point........ but do you think they'd actually accept?
Click to expand...

Almost certainly they would

Smeggypants said:
Definitely added an adjustment brush to those eyes and increased the exposure by nearly a stop.

Easily done in Lightroom.
Click to expand...

Still a powerful image, doesn't take anything out of it.
Most of us do to enhance the expression, eyes mostly
 
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Smeggypants said:
Definitely added an adjustment brush to those eyes and increased the exposure by nearly a stop.

Easily done in Lightroom.
Click to expand...

17 years ago? I agree probably enhanced but so what its a great image, and certainly in a darkroom, not using lightroom
 
boyfalldown said:
17 years ago? I agree probably enhanced but so what its a great image, and certainly in a darkroom, not using lightroom
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I agree, but the photograph was taken in 1984 (published in 1985) so it was 27 years ago. Steve McCurry met her again 17 years later, which would have been around 2001.
 
This is one of the hundred or so iconic photos of the 20th Century and ranks along with Dorothea Langes image of the Depression Era mother, Joe Rosenthal's Flag Raising at Iwo Jima and Robert Capa's Spanish Civil War soldier falling backward as he was shot...
 
rpcrowe said:
This is one of the hundred or so iconic photos of the 20th Century and ranks along with Dorothea Langes image of the Depression Era mother, Joe Rosenthal's Flag Raising at Iwo Jima and Robert Capa's Spanish Civil War soldier falling backward as he was shot...
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Agree totally - photographs have always been enhanced/edited, what may have been done to this or others is irrelevant. It's an iconic image:thumbs:
 
Other iconic C20th shots? Eddie Adams photograph of Nguyen Ngoc Loan executing - I don't want to get into the argument about execution/murder here - a Viet Cong prisoner in 1968? Nic Ut's image of Kim Phuc in 1972?
 
cyclamens said:
Not convinced - these are proud people for whom struggle is a way of life. Not all cultures have the 'money grabbing' attitude that exists in the West.
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Have you ever lived in Afghanistan? Or Pakistan? Or any asian or african country where poverty is so rife? And what makes you think that accepting any monetary aid from a reporter/photographer who has benefitted from the publication of an image in one way or another is denting their pride?

Yes they are proud courageous and brave people who defy the odds and struggle for basic necessities every single day but they would definitely benefit and most certainly accept any aid given to them I am sure.

Anyway, this discussion is futile, for all that is worth the photographer most probably has given a fair share of help in all aspects including monetary aid. And in his defense I have witnessed and seen often reporters, photographers, tourists when coming to visit or document communities like these always give them a fair share of help in many aspects.
 
zulupentax said:
Hope that is not a sarcastic remark.
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I don't need to use sarcasm - it was not a witty statement. You obviously have either lived or have been to either of the two countries you mention or have a better understanding of the two peoples - either way your knowledge is obviously superior to mine.
I haven't lived or been there so therefore my knowledge is not first-hand. I am only going by what I have read.

You need to chill
 
I wouldnt have thought they needed the Iris recognition, the eyes were just the same, she has aged a lot in that 17 years up till 2001, wonder what she looks like now.

Ive often wondered that too if that shot made his career as was mentioned earlier, regardless its a fantastic iconic shot.
 
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cyclamens said:
I don't need to use sarcasm - it was not a witty statement. You obviously have either lived or have been to either of the two countries you mention or have a better understanding of the two peoples - either way your knowledge is obviously superior to mine.
I haven't lived or been there so therefore my knowledge is not first-hand. I am only going by what I have read.

You need to chill
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I am chilled,

Sorry thought better ask, its hard to detect sometimes the tone when its not a spoken word. Better than making an assumption hence my comment, with politeness intended.

Yes I have lived extensively amongst those people, in various countries in both continents. Still travel and spend a huge amount of time amongst the communities. Was born in one of those countries.

I must point out though that you are spot on regarding the pride aspect of the people, and if one has to offer or give anything it has to be done tactfully.
 
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