“Shaolin Monks Training” by Steve McCurry
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Cavalier Galleries is celebrating renowned photojournalist Steve McCurry with concurrent exhibitions in their New York and Greenwich locations. One of the greatest visual storytellers of his generation, McCurry’s powerful portraits and documentary photography help us understand more about different cultures around the world.

From February 8 to March 9, 2024, more than 30 of his photographs from the 1980s to today will go on view at the gallery’s location in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood. A separate, pendant exhibition will also go up simultaneously in Greenwich, Connecticut. With a vast archive to pull from, the gallery directors were spoiled for choice and met with McCurry’s team to carefully select images that would explore the depth and breadth of his work. The result is a powerful show that takes us from Cuba and the Philippines to Myanmar, Pakistan, and Tibet.

“We selected photographs spanning the past 40 years of his career, from his iconic image of the Afghan Girl (1984) to a breathtaking photograph of Namibian shepherd boys from 2023,” shares Ron Cavalier, president at Cavalier Galleries. “Visitors to the exhibition will be greeted by McCurry’s 1994 photo of Monks Praying at Golden Rock in Myanmar, which is also the cover image of his new book, Devotion: Love and Spirituality. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a wall of eight portraits, selected from countries around the world and showcasing McCurry’s stirring ability to capture both personal narrative and the somehow universal landscape of our diverse, collective humanity.”

Through McCurry’s powerful work, which is rich with color and rife with emotion, we learn a bit more about the world. From Shaolin monks in training to Afghan women shopping for shoes, these small glimpses of life help bring us together. And they hopefully also help us realize that we aren’t so different from one another.

“I look for that unguarded moment, where the essential soul is peeking out, and try to convey some part of what it is like to be that person, or in a broader sense, to relate their life to the human experience as a whole,” McCurry tells My Modern Met. “We humans connect to one another via eye contact—there is a real power in that shared moment of attention when you catch a glimpse of what it must be like to be in their shoes. I think this is one of the most powerful things about photography: to relate that sensation.”

Steve McCurry runs from February 8, 2024, to March 9, 2024, at Cavalier Galleries in New York City (530 W 24th Street) and Greenwich, Connecticut (175 Greenwich Avenue). On Thursday, February 22, there will also be an artist reception and signing of McCurry’s new book, Devotion: Love and Spirituality, at the New York location.

The career of acclaimed photojournalist Steve McCurry is being celebrated by Cavalier Galleries.

“Afghan Girl, Peshawar,” Steve McCurry

“Afghan Women at Shoe Store,” Steve McCurry

The gallery will hold concurrent solo exhibitions at its locations in New York City and Greenwich.

“Candy Factory Worker,” Steve McCurry

“Procession of Nuns,” Steve McCurry

In late February 2024, McCurry will also be present at the New York location for a reception and book signing.

“Himba Shepherds Take Their Goats to Graze,” Steve McCurry

“Woman Enters Monolithic Church,” Steve McCurry

Steve McCurry: Website | Facebook | Instagram
Cavalier Galleries: Website | Facebook | Instagram

All images ©  Steve McCurry. My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Cavalier Galleries.

Related Articles:

Steve McCurry’s New Book Features Over 100 Unseen Photographs

Steve McCurry Shares His Philosophy on What Makes a Good Portrait

Interview: Steve McCurry Captures Human Connection to Animals Around the World

Legendary Photographer Steve McCurry on His Illustrious Career and New Book [Podcast]

Maybe the box isn’t magic. But, the fishing box I converted to carrying all the support items as a wedding photographer made me seem like a magician to my wedding clients. More magic always led to more referrals.

From fishing tackle box to magic box

I tried many different containers over the years. I started small and found that I kept needing more and more space. At each wedding, whenever I was asked for something that I didn’t already have, I made sure it was there at the next event. The box I ended up with turned out to be, as Goldilocks said, “Just right.” Mine was about 8 x 17 inches and 9 inches deep.

Magic box contents

Over the years, the contents of the box grew, from the basics to more advanced items. It got to a point when anything was needed by almost anyone at the wedding, the call went out to, “Check with the wedding photographer, I’ll bet that he has it!”

Edibles

• Breath mints
• Mint gum
• Crackers

Hair care

• Multiple brushes
• Mirror
• Hair spray
• Bobbie pins (multiple colors)
• Hair clips
• Scrunchies
• Scissors
• Electric razor

Repair materials

• Safety pins (multiple sizes)
• Static Guard Spray
• Lint brush/Sticky sheets
• Small clamps
• Shoelaces
• Earring backs
• Sewing kit/tape measure
• Tape

Personal care

• Tampax and pads
• Tooth brush and tooth paste
• Hemorrhoid ointment
• Deodorant
• Baby powder
• Razor
• Tissues
• Wipes
• Q-tips/Cotton swabs
• Red Cross toothache medication
• Refilit tooth filling material

Protection

• Sunscreen
• First aid kit
• Band aids in different sizes
• Cleansing wipes
• Gauze pads

Make-up

• Hand cream
• Eye shadow
• Personal skin toners/blush
• Make-up Brushes
• Lip Gloss
• Clear nail polish
• Mascara
• Nail file/Emory board

How to source your magic box/wedding photographer kit

Head to the sporting good department for your tackle box. A tool box might work as well depending upon what is in your kit.

To fill it go to the larger drug stores you can find personal sizes of LOTS of stuff. There is usually a section with travel items at $1 – $3. The Dollar Store can be a good spot as well. Not shown in this kit, but I also carried a couple of tuxedo shirts and spare black shoes. You know, just in case there was a shortage when the tux delivery was made. There was more, but you get the idea.

I found the more I could be of service and “Johnny-on-the-spot,” the smoother the wedding went and the more referrals I received from clients and wedding planners.

Yours in Creative Photography, Bob

The World Photography Organisation and Sony established the National & Regional Awards program as a way to support local photography communities from all over the world. This year, 395,000 images were submitted from over 220 countries and territories, resulting in an impressive number of winning images. 

The Sony World Photography Awards have a wide range of photography categories, and in the build-up to announcing the overall winners, some of the category winners are released sooner. The National and Regional Winners were selected from a wide range of regions that showcase the best photography of today.

Winning images are selected from around the globe, resulting in extremely diverse approaches and subject matter, celebrating geographical and cultural differences. Among the winning images are a cornucopia of wildlife, documentary, landscape, and portrait images, each showing a unique insight into new worlds. 

The winners from the National and Regional Awards are listed below:

Bangladesh – Mahdin Shafiq Omi

Cambodia – Davuth Van 

Egypt – Karim Osama 

Germany – Natalie Strohmaier 

India – Mitul Kajaria 

Indonesia – Dhiky Aditya 

Japan – Kenichiro Hagiwara

Republic of Korea – Lee Jongkee

Kuwait – Mohammed Mirza 

Malaysia – Lim Chien Ting 

Myanmar – Kyaw Htet 

Nepal – Bibek Kunwar 

Nigeria – Onyekachi Iloh 

Pakistan – Muhammad Saddique Inam 

Philippines – Reginald James Lorico 

Poland – Barbara Szydlowska

Qatar – Abdulla AL-Mushaifri 

Saudi Arabia – Yasser Alomari 

Singapore – Ju Shen Lee 

South Africa – Lourens Durand 

Sri Lanka – Wasiri Gajaman 

Taiwan – Chia Jung Chou 

Thailand – Thanayu Jongwattanasilkul 

Turkey – Okan Yilmaz 

United Arab Emirates – Vinaya Mohan 

United States – Pascal Fouquet 

Vietnam – Tran Tuan Viet

The Award is split further into European Regional Awards and Latin America Regional Awards. The winners of these are: 

Czech Republic – Tomáš Havrda 

Latvia – Viktors Rimarevs

Slovenia – Ana Skobe 

Bulgaria – Vladimir Karamazov 

Argentina – Marcos Azulay 

All of the award winners will receive a selection of Sony Imaging equipment such as the best Sony camera and Sony lenses, and all winning images will be included in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition and book.

The overall winners for the Student, Youth, Open, and Professional competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2024 will be announced on 18 April 2024. Winners will be placed on display as part of the exhibition at Somerset House in London from April 19 – May 6 2024.

You can check out the Awards website for more information about upcoming announcements and for the full list of winners.

See also our earlier story Next generation of photographers shortlisted in student and youth Sony World Photo Awards 2024

Celebrity photographer Manny Hernandez has a new book out – CBS Miami

GREENFIELD – A Greenfield woman has turned her passion for photography into a career promoting female entrepreneurs, and an upcoming gala is expected to bring in thousands for a charity.

Victoria Odekomaya is a luxury photographer and brand strategist who strives to empower and inspire women in business.

Women wear a lot of hats, said Odekomaya, a married mother of two. With so many Indy-area women talented in everything from side hustles to manufacturing to large corporations, Odekomaya says she wants to capture images and help tell their stories so they can inspire others.

“I just want to get the word out there for women to be inspired, for women to be encouraged,” she said. “You know, ‘You’ve got this.’”

Odekomaya has lived in Greenfield about 12 years. Originally from Nigeria, she moved to the states as a student and got a job in drug development sciences. She pursued photography and filmmaking as a hobby for about 10 years, and around the time of the COVID-19 pandemic she knew she wanted to get more serious with her pastimes.

Laid off a little over a year ago, she realized it was time to start her own business. In 2022, she launched the Boss Ladies Campaign with the purpose of giving women a “celebrity photo shoot experience” to create images and videos for women to “level up their brand” and help them feel confident and empowered.

Based out of LiM Studios – her home in an eastern Greenfield neighborhood – Odekomaya provides clients with professional hair and makeup for a photo shoot, wardrobe styling, refreshments, a collection of images, and a feature in her magazine.

Additionally, Odekomaya organizes a gala every year to celebrate her clients and raise money for a charity. Last year, the first Boss Ladies Gala raised $10,000 to support Dove Recovery House for Women in Indianapolis.

This year, the gala is set for March 15 and will benefit Pink Ribbon Connection, whose mission is to provide free supplies and services to breast cancer patients and survivors across Indiana. The funds will go toward free mastectomy bras, prosthesis, post-surgical garments and wigs.

“We are grateful to Victoria and are excited to be part of such an extraordinary gathering to support the work we do to assist breast cancer patients at any stage of their journey,” said Dori Sparks-Unsworth, executive director of Pink Ribbon Connection.

Odekomaya said she was thrilled with last year’s gala success, and is hoping for another $10,000 to be raised this year for Pink Ribbon Connection. She plans to benefit a women’s charity every year, and is still seeking sponsors, auction items and people that want to attend the event. Every ticket earns a credit with her photography business as well.

Odekomaya said her goal is to help small business owners be known and heard. Her website encourages women to “stop being the best kept secret” in their industry.

“I feel like they don’t know how to (market themselves),” she said. “There are women who have no idea how to do this… don’t know how to be strategic about it, to be intentional. People won’t patronize or walk with you if they don’t know you’re there.”

One of her clients, Gabie Benson, is a Greenfield native who now lives in McCordsville. Benson launched Sprout Fundraising and Consulting in 2023, working with nonprofits both locally and nationally.

Benson said she’s known Odekomaya for years, and when she showed up for her photo shoot, Odekomaya turned her tough day around. She was thrilled with the images that came out of the shoot, and was glad to connect Odekomaya with last year’s gala beneficiary.

“I’m so proud of what Victoria was able to create with the first year of the event,” she said in an email. “I know this year’s gala will be an even bigger success.”

Jill O’Boyle is a burnout recovery coach for high-achieving women, and her office is based out of McCordsville. She reached out to Odekomaya for photos and to promote her business.

“She captured my fun, outgoing personality but also showed imagery to support my past story of burnout and stress, which created a visual story that the audience can relate to,” she said, adding that she would recommend any woman business owner to consider the business.

O’Boyle said last year’s gala was a fun way to celebrate and empower women in business while also benefiting a good cause.

Odekomaya said it’s powerful to get women together for a red carpet event.

“That’s what we do – we’re always giving, always loving; it’s great to get women together to have fun, enjoy, network together and also raise funds for an organization,” Odekomaya said. “It’s just an incredible opportunity.”