World-renowned photojournalist Steve McCurry has spent many years traveling around and photographing the unique and vibrant people and sights of India. In his travels, he’s learned that the best photos don’t always happen after arriving at the destination, but along the way. You just have to be open to them, and know not to turn away when something amazing presents itself:
“Good pictures are often few and far between. Great pictures don’t grow on trees. If you recognize something great, don’t let it slip away; go for it immediately.”
McCurry says one of the most important lessons he’s learned is that some of the great pictures happen along the journey. No matter where you are, what you’re doing, you have to be attuned to what’s happening all around you and you should always be searching for things to photograph. The journey can end up offering you amazing opportunities that can be far more interesting than where you were going.
“Some of my best pictures have happened as I was traveling to a particular place. That destination is long since forgotten, but those pictures along the way end up being memorable.”
“If you allow yourself to be open, wonderful things will develop from that mood.”
McCurry’s process for shooting documentary photos is pretty simple—he steps out the hotel door and just wanders the streets, exploring, getting a sense of the mood. If you can let yourself get lost in that moment, that’s when things will start to happen—you’ll be relaxed, observant—almost in a meditative state—and that’s when the good pictures come.
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I would love to be a travel photographer so this post was really interesting and helpful to me. I hope that one day, if I get the opportunity, that I will be able to capture photos like Steve McCurry.