The Young Afghan Girl by Steve McCurry

I just wanted to say that this is the most beautiful picture i have ever seen. The young girls eyes captures the person attention in a way i can’t explain. It would a great picture to uses for World Proverty. This picture to me explain the beauty of Afgan. and the people whom are sufering from war torn countries and it time to make a Change “World Wild” STOP WAR! Nice Job Mr.Mccurry

What can I say about those gorgeous eyes.
Simply killing they haunt my dreams
Beautiful

An absolutely breath taking image. It is a shame these beautiful women are forced to veil themselves, and are treated so horribly. I wish there was something we could do, but unfortunately, Afghanistan, or the middle east rather, has to come to the realization that what they are doing is wrong on there own. I wish I had the money to purchase this image.
Fantastic work McCurry.

this is the most amazing picture i have seen .this lady has many undiscover things in her green eyes.thank u mccurry for such thing.

It’s a beautiful picture .I Just want to say that her eyes are very beautiful ..Hope I visit afgan some day and meet her.

Oh yeah Venessa? I bet she doesn’t see anything from this ‘world famous’ picture but pennies thrown at her feet. Is that cause of Afghanistan or the white man.

As a student at Shaker Junior High School in Albany, New York, I [had] to watch a video about the search for the Afghan Girl. During the beginning of the movie, I could have cared less. But every time they showed the amazing picture of the Afghan girl, I would inch forward on my chair. The picture is stunningly magnificient, and I think the photographer is brilliant. Now, as a photographer in training, ( hopefully!!) I can only wish to be as great as Steve McCurry.

She has that wolflike, sort of untouchable beauty. I saw this picture accidentally while sorting through pictures of hungry children, and decided to use her as a main character for my book that i am currently writing. It’s really sad to see that beauty so transformed…

wow sold for $4500 I hope this beautiful girl got something for this picture, models in america are paid thousands of dollars.

Did anyone notice she has now lost the fire in her eyes.I cant get enough of her.I wonder what all she has gone through in such a long time and how it has transformed her.
Is there any interview of hers or anything that would enlighten me on this?
Any help would be appreciated.

Seeing this always makes me sad, yet happy. She is part of the Pashtun tribe, people who are said to ‘only be at peace when at war’ and the occupation of the Taliban didn’t help. She has children, a husband, and a brother, a small family, yet still a family. She is a God-fearing Muslim, and had her childhood taken from her because of a greedy war, a war with a taste to blood. She said “The burqa protects me from the evils of a war” but how could she know that, she never has been given the choice to be unveiled. Not all Middle-Easterns are oppressed, but sadly the story of Afghanistan this past century isn’t a happy one. I’m an Afghan/Canadian/European girl, and I’ve always felt such closeness to Afghanistan, mainly the Hindu Kush (where most of my Afghan ancestors lived), and this girl gives me such hope. I’m lucky to be able to read and write, but her life in a war-torn land has made that impossible. Good luck, Sharbat, and your family!

This is the most beautiful and haunting photos ever taken. This picture terrifies me and haunts me whenever I see it. I wish i was as good with words as i am with a camera to be able to explain how this makes me feel, but I just cannot.

simply beautiful. this picture takes my breath away. i can’t stop looking at those gorgeous eyes. simply beautiful.

This is the most beautiful picture in the world in my opinion. Everything about her is breathtaking. Her eyes are wild. All I can say is wow.

this is so nice it really touches your heart and it’s so sad to because this poor girl is getting 2 live a normal teenage life, it really breaks you’re heart :( gabriella-13

Steve became world famous because of that photo. In 20 years of fame he haven’t had the chance to help her. She still lives in poverty, although her face is recognized everywhere.
In 20 years I think Steve could helped her somehow.

It is a gorgeous picture, but the face makes it eternal.
Real beauty in poverty … not Hollywood Photoshop

I wonder if she lives in better conditions. Somebody should make another documental about her.

she is like the 21th century Monalisa XD

The first time I saw this photograph I was 11 years old, which was quite some time after the photo was published. It has been a decade since I first saw it, but coming across it again for a visual culture assignment at my university, I instantly recognized it. The direct gaze the girl establishes with the camera is courageous, considering photography was prohibited during the Talibans’ time in power, and I think the iconic image her face has amounted to will be an enduring reminder of the inhumanity Afghans experienced as a result of religious fundamentalism.

yea she is pretty, her eyes are gorgeous but please get all the facts before assuming things–women aren’t treated badly as the media says. you weren’t put in that place. and the media is bias. so you never know.. also there are reasons for wearing a scarf.

Ofcourse Steve and NG made lot of money using her stunning eyes and sharp fature. Are they giving any royalty to the model? If not it is cruel.

Oh my god. Those eyes are like…Good lord. Amazing. Just stunning. Magnificent. I love what Gabriella said, she is beautiful in poverty, she doesn’t HollywoodPhotoShop.
Just absolutely amazing.
I know that there are other girls just like her out there. Poor girl. I pray for her now.
I also have realized that now, her eyes seem to look different. Like she lost a fire within them.