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Amazing photos of spirituality by legendary photographer Steve McCurry

Amazing photos of spirituality by legendary photographer Steve McCurry
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One of the world’s most famous photographers is sharing an astonishing array of pictures from his 40-year career in a new book, and they all share one common theme – spirituality.

Steve McCurry ‘explores human spirituality in all its remarkable diversity and beauty’ in his new book Devotion, publisher Prestel explains.

The photographer, who frequently has work published in National Geographic and is part of the esteemed Magnum Photos collective, shot to renown with his 1984 ‘Afghan Girl’ portrait of Sharbat Gula, an Afghan refugee in Pakistan during the Soviet-Afghan War. 

The years that followed saw him travel the world with his camera, capturing evocative scenes everywhere from New York and India to Afghanistan. Some of the photos that have made it into Devotion include a poignant picture of a woman caring for her ailing nephew, a moving image of a woman polishing her late husband’s headstone and a serene shot of a woman meditating by the Ganges river. 

‘McCurry captures penetrating moments of devotion, loyalty, faithfulness and dedication,’ the publisher says of his book. ‘Reproduced in stunning colour, these photographs honour the universal desire to create meaning in the midst of everyday life and offer viewers an opportunity to connect with their own spirituality — whatever form that takes.’

Scroll down to look inside this ‘powerful collection of spiritually inflected images’…

Captured in 2010, this picture shows elephants and mahouts (people who tend to elephants) at a rescue sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand

In Kabul, Afghanistan, a man is seen embracing his dog next to his taxi, which was destroyed when the nearby building collapsed during shelling. The emotive photograph was taken by McCurry in 1992

Here, Steve McCurry captures the tender moment of a nurse checking a homeless man's vital signs in Los Angeles, California

This poignant picture, captured in Vietnam in 2007, shows an ailing man's aunt helping with his caretaking

The tender moment a woman cleans the headstone of her late husband's grave in East Germany in 1989 - the year of the fall of the Berlin Wall

An elderly couple walks to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, a church in Lourdes, France, in this beautifully composed shot, which was captured in 1988. McCurry notes that 'they walked in front of a sign which was a metaphor for their loving relationship'

This colourful picture from 2004 shows monks suspended from a metal beam at the Shaolin Martial Arts School in Zhengzhou, China

A woman carrying metal boxes walks past hundreds of men in prayer at the Bandra train station in Mumbai, India, in this 1996 photograph

This devastating picture shows a brave firefighter scaling a ladder at Ground Zero, New York, in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in 2001. McCurry lived nearby and when he heard what had happened, he headed straight to the site with his camera to document the tragedy

This moving shot shows a man praying at the site of a temple that was washed away during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Kathaluwa, Sri Lanka

This powerful photo by McCurry shows a premature baby being treated in a hospital in Jaipur, India, in 2008

This heartwarming 1985 photograph shows a grandfather carrying his grandson on his back. It was captured by McCurry in Tokyo, Japan

This peaceful image - taken by McCurry in 1994 - shows a man meditating while facing Sule Pagoda, a Buddhist stupa in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city

This beautiful picture shows a woman joined by resting stray dogs in her early-morning meditation on the banks of the Ganges River in Varanasi, India. It dates back to 2010

An elderly couple return home after working in their corn fields in Gostivar, Macedonia, in this intimate 1989 photograph

Devotion, by Magnum Photos and National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry, is published by Prestel and will retail at £50, €65.51 or $65 when it's published on November 1. The breathtaking 1994 photograph on the cover shows monks making a pilgrimage to Kyaiktiyo Pagoda, a gold-leaf-covered boulder that's crowned by a pagoda. McCurry spent days at the site determining the best vantage point and time for the picture, eventually taking this shot shortly after sunset

International photography event opens in Beijing

International photography event opens in Beijing
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People visit the Photo Beijing 2023 international photography event on Oct 21, 2023. [Photo by Zhu Xingxin/China Daily]

The Photo Beijing 2023, an international photography event, was unveiled at the China Millennium Monument in the capital on Saturday.

Under the theme of “Images: Rural – Coexistence”, the week-long photography extravaganza covers nine subthemes, including “Rural Revitalization”, “Building Beijing as a Museum City” and the “Belt and Road Initiative”. The event features 13 forums and showcases over 2,000 (sets of) photographs in 11 exhibitions, offering the audience a visual feast.

Photo Beijing 2023, which will run through Oct 29, is co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Beijing municipal government, and co-organized by several cultural organizations and companies including the China Artistic Photography Society and China Photographers Association.

Shanina Shaik stuns in LBD and leather knee-high boots in Hollywood

Shanina Shaik stuns in LBD and leather knee-high boots in Hollywood

Shanina Shaik looked stunning as she stepped out in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The 32-year-old model put on a stylish display as she showed off her incredible figure in a halter-style, black minidress teamed with leather, knee-high boots.

She was spotted leaving the photography workshop Milk Studios in Hollywood while carrying an elegant satchel bag with gold hardware.

The Australian beauty — who went topless underneath an open robe for a jewelry campaign photoshoot earlier this month — slicked back her raven black tresses into a tight bun.

She accessorized simply with dainty gold hoop earrings, a delicate watch and a gold bangle bracelet. 

Monochromatic outfit: Shanina Shaik looked stunning as she stepped out in Los Angeles on Saturday. The 32-year-old model put on a stylish display as she showed off her incredible figure in a halter-style, black minidress teamed with leather, knee-high boots

Shaik — who welcomed her first child over a year ago with her boyfriend, Matthew Adesuyan — opted for a light makeup look with a healthy flushed appearance.

For a sun-kissed glow, she rocked ample coral blush to go with her simple eye look and peachy pink lip.

The top model was spotted without her son — whom she welcomed a little bit over a year ago.

In September 2022, she gave birth to her first child with her boyfriend, Matthew Adesuyan.

Shaik and the advertising executive were first romantically linked in 2020. 

Shortly before sharing her pregnancy with the world on Instagram, Shaik told People about how happy the couple were to become parents.

She also said that being pregnant had been ‘a really pleasant, healthy, and amazing experience’ for her.

‘I’ve been quite lucky and I’m just excited to finally share the news,’ she told the outlet about the birth of her child at the time.

Glamorous gal: She was spotted leaving the photography workshop Milk Studios in Hollywood while carrying an elegant satchel bag with gold hardware

Effortlessly chic: The Australian beauty slicked back her raven black tresses into a tight bun

Radiant beauty: Shaik opted for a light makeup look with a healthy flushed appearance. For a sun-kissed glow, she rocked ample coral blush to go with her simple eye look and peachy pink lip

‘It is quite exciting for myself and my partner and our families as well,’ she continued before adding that Adesuyan was ‘so happy’ about becoming a father.

‘He’s over the moon and he’s so supportive,’ she added. ‘He’s just excited to share this experience together as well.’

‘We’re very much in love, and to bring a beautiful life into this world is quite special,’ she gushed. 

Later, she took to her Instagram to share a photo of her newborn bundled up as he slept to announce that they had welcomed their son.

‘Welcome to the world baby Zai Adesuyan,’ she wrote in her caption. ‘Matthew and I, are so in love!!!’ 

‘I had to paint my way back’ | Art show gives unhoused, at-risk artists chance to sell their pieces

‘I had to paint my way back’ | Art show gives unhoused, at-risk artists chance to sell their pieces

The 31st annual Art from the Streets show in Austin had over 100 unhoused artists selling their artwork.

AUSTIN, Texas — This weekend marked the 31st year of the Art from the Streets (AFTS) show in Austin. The show gives unhoused and at-risk people the chance to sell the artwork they’ve been working on all year.

“So many artists put their heart and soul in what they do and all their pieces that are here,” said Kelley Worden, executive director, Art from the Streets.

Art from the Streets has a free studio where people can come and create art four days a week.

“Many of them come in and they find that positive community, and that’s what they’re needing to help them move forward,” Worden said.

The program hosts art shows throughout the year, but this weekend’s is its largest one, showcasing more than 3,000 art pieces created by more than 100 artists – artists like Larry Williams, who is an Austin native and has overcome homelessness.

“I had to paint my way back to where I needed to be,” Williams said. “This gives me equilibrium.”

Williams paints every single day, because he says it gives him an outlet to express his point of view.

“We have something to say, but we’re not quite sure how to say it or what it is, you know, but the artwork is part of it,” Williams said.

Worden said the best part of the event is seeing the emotion from the artists when people buy their pieces. 

“Our artists feeling validation, feeling self-assurance, just that, ‘What I, my work is done, is valued,'” Worden said. 

For Williams, he says it’s a bittersweet feeling. 

“When you know you got your favorite piece of artwork and you want to keep it, and you know you’re going to sell it too, that’s when you know you’ve done something good,” Williams said. 

Ninety-five percentof the profit from each sale goes directly to the artist. Art from the Streets’ next shows are the Travis Heights Art Trail in November and the holiday show in December.

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