Photographers and their Photos

Steve McCurry holds his 1984 photo of a young woman from Peshawar, Pakistan. "I looked for this girl for 17 years and finally found her in 2002. Her name is Sharbat Gula."

Neil Leifer holds his photo, Ali vs. Liston, which he took on May 25, 1965 in Lewiston, Maine.

Mary Ellen Mark: "I am holding my photograph of Ram Prakash Singh and his beloved elephant Shyama — taken in 1990. Ram Prakash Singh was the ringmaster of "The Great Golden Circus." The photograph was done in Ahmedabad India. This was part of my Indian Circus Project.

I love India and I love the circus so photographing eighteen circuses all around India was an incredible experience. Unfortunately, Shyama died a few months after this photograph was taken. Supposedly he succumbed to a poisoned chapatti. Ram Prakash Singh was heartbroken. Me also."

Harry Benson: "Brian Epstein — Beatles' manager — had just told them they were number one in America, and I was coming with them to New York, 1964."

Elliot Erwitt: "The picture I am holding was snapped in 1974 just across the street from my apartment in New York's Central Park. It has been 38 years since that event and sadly I have lost track of the participants." 


Just some photographers and their most iconic images, as part of a book/project called Behind the Photographs to honor those who devote their entire lives to photography. Its eye-opening to see the face behind the photos that many of us know so well. 

Images: Tim Mantoani for Behind the Photographs, via WIRED magazine