When one thinks of photojournalism, optimism usually isn’t a prevalent thought. When we think of images produced from photo collectives and world-renowned photojournalists, they heavily involve conflict and humanitarian causes, and their aesthetics promote showing a realist interpretation to aid in people empathizing with the cause at hand. However, photographer Steve McCurry’s work in India during the 1980s and throughout his career did not carry this same brutal severity, rather his images leave an impressionable feeling of optimism on the viewer, one that successfully celebrates the human experience through cultural practice and observation. Two images that exemplify this aesthetically and contextually are Dust Storm (1983) and Tailor Carries His Sewing Machine through Monsoon Waters (1983).

Dust Storm (1983) depicts female figures huddled together amidst a monsoon. The composition of the image is strikingly centered, the portrait style frame presses colorful silhouettes of the group of women against an ominous background. The saturated colors of their clothes contrasted with the bland surrounding environment creates a cinematic viewing experience. One cannot help but feel a great sense of community within the image, the circumstance is dramatically depicted as a moment where “life and death seem to hang in a precarious balance” (caption). The women’s powerful presence in the frame exemplifies the culture McCurry had placed himself in, throughout the exhibit he consistently mentioned and depicted moments and places of community gathering and support, such as Richshaw Wallahs, Hindu Pilgrims Visit Shrines and Ghats along the River Ganges, and his many images of the Holi Festival. His use of prominently vibrant colors and symmetrical/geometric compositions to create visually stunning frames allows him to depict strong narratives within his work.

Tailor Carries His Sewing Machine through Monsoon Waters (1983) shows a man walking through neck-high water in the flooded streets of Porbandar, Gujarat, India. He is smiling holding his sewing machine on his shoulder, looking ahead and seemingly unphased by the monsoon waters around him. The image’s dominant color is brown, the water is murky and the sewing machine is rusted, which juxtaposes with the man’s carefree expression and soft greying hair. Rather than contrasting colors in this image, McCurry uses a shorter color spectrum, making the viewer feel as if they are wading through the dark water themselves. Despite the arduous situation shown in the image, it still retains humor. If there is any single frame in the exhibit that might result in a giggle, it is this one. It has largely to do to the caption, which states that the man received another sewing machine after this photograph ran as the cover of National Geographic. While some may argue that the image over stylizes and makes humorous a very serious occurrence, it leaves a positive impression on the viewer, we know the man was rewarded, in a sense, for his difficult journey. It still, however, begs a serious question of the conditions the man is working in, and what would have happened if this photograph did not end up on the cover of a popular magazine.

McCurry’s photographs are bright, colorful, energetic, and for the most part, happy or deeply contemplative. They also read very clearly as narrative works, some of which distinctly from left to right, such as Three Men, Steam Engine Passes in Front of Taj Mahal, and Men in Prayer (all 1983). Through his strong style and voice, McCurry creates a powerful viewing experience that ultimately results in some form of empathy for the subjects he is presenting. His images do have a distractingly beautiful quality to them, however, the viewer is still quite aware of either the drastic circumstances of the natural disasters or the honesty of emotion within his portrait/group subject images. On the other hand of the photographic spectrum, Alexandra Boulat’s works place a large emphasis on drama and engagement, she thrusts her viewers right in the middle of conflict action. Her images also have a similar narrative style to them like McCurry, such as Prayer time at the Al-Shifa Hospital (2006). While each photographer has broadly different subject matter, tone, and context, they each use strong visual language to draw a viewer in and implore them to understand the tone, mood, or even message that they are presenting. Boulat’s subjects and depictions are entirely more brutal and shocking than McCurry’s, yet she still uses a similar aesthetic and narrative approach to achieve a captivating image.