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I n 1907, National Geographic published some of the earliest photographs ever taken of Antarctica. For most of the world, this was the first time anyone saw the remote and extreme region. The photographer was Herbert Ponting, and to make his images he survived the three-year Terra Nova expedition in which a team led by Robert Falcon Scott suffered temperatures as low as -40 degrees, an emergency diet of penguin and seal, and many tragic deaths, including that of their captain.
Today the world’s most remote regions are more accessible than they’ve ever been, due to advances in sailing technology and cruising implemented in luxurious fashion for everyday adventurers by organizations like Silversea. Photographs of far-flung realms continue to inspire more and more people to undertake expeditions of their own.
In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Silversea is exhibiting images taken by the renowned photographer Steve McCurry, who has spent decades documenting cultures around the world for National Geographic and other organizations – including as a longtime resident photographer with the luxury cruise line. 30 images that McCurry took during Silversea voyages are on view aboard the latest fleet of Nova Class ships. And on 21-26 September, coinciding with the Contemporary Curated auction in New York, Sotheby’s will highlight 10 of the 30 photographs spanning Antarctica to Easter Island, Italy to Japan, Tahiti to Papua New Guinea.
In anticipation of the event, we spoke with McCurry about his work documenting the earth’s most incredible regions and cultures.
Photography and travel both serve as bridges between cultures. What are the similarities and differences you see between the two?
Certainly, photography can show us other cultures. It can familiarize us with other places, other people, and hopefully help us make a connection with people around the world. It can tell us stories and celebrate the world that we live in.
And documenting undiscovered places, as you’ve done, can enhance our understanding of the mystery and beauty of our world. In your portraits, you often capture a human element amidst vast landscapes. For example, I’m thinking of the image of the Asaro Mudmen in Papua New Guinea – that’s one of my favorite images of yours. How do you approach photographing individuals in their communities, and what stories do you aim to convey through portraits?
Well, I just want to show visually how people live. With that New Guinea mudmen picture, it’s a tradition there that has been going on for hundreds of years. It’s fascinating to see how people in different parts of the world develop their own culture and to celebrate the regional differences. We’re all fascinated with each other; we love to see how we all approach life in different ways.
As Silversea’s resident photographer, can you talk about how you came to be involved with luxury expedition cruising and the significance of their 30th anniversary?
Our partnership came about because of my passion for exploring and documenting cultures around the world. It’s turned out to be a great collaboration, because their team really honors, appreciates and respects the natural world and the diverse cultures who inhabit our incredible planet.
Now that my photographs are displayed on two of the ships, the people who visit these locations will have another view into appreciating the world that we live in.
Your photographs beautifully communicate the challenging environments of these destinations – in that sense, exploration can be both physical and emotional. How do you balance the desire to capture the essence of a place and communicate its shared humanity, while also respecting its cultural nuances in your photography?
It comes from respect for people and their cultures. You have to try to leave a place better than you found it. Photographers have a duty to familiarize themselves with a place before they go there. For example, I tend to travel with an experienced guide who can help navigate my visit so that everybody feels respected.
“Photography helps us to share in beauty without endangering it.”
What was the most challenging environment you’ve photographed?
The most difficult places are those with extreme conditions. Antarctica, of course, has cold and unpredictable weather, but it’s certainly worth the challenge to be able to witness such an extreme environment. The most uncomfortable place, though, was probably trekking through the Himalayas before and after a monsoon. We were walking through heavy rain for hours on end, dealing with landslides and leeches. We were never dry.
I’m fascinated with how people react in such extreme environments. I’ve travelled through deserts like the Sahara, the Gobi Desert and the Australian Outback. These are extreme conditions. It’s an endurance test, but well worth the effort.
I don’t even like when my socks get wet from stepping in a puddle [laughter]. What’s your most memorable encounter or photograph from a Silversea expedition in particular?
It would have to be the eagle hunters in Mongolia. They have a unique method of hunting reindeer. It was fascinating to see how man and animal can work together. You have to see it to really appreciate it fully. Short of going to a place yourself, the next best thing is to see it in photographs or film.
And today photography also serves as a precursor to travel: we’re always looking up what something looks like before deciding whether or not to go somewhere. That speaks to the photographer’s responsibility in capturing or promoting a destination. Silversea is dedicated to responsible travel through particularly remote and delicate ecosystems. How does your photography raise awareness about environmental conservation in these regions?
In the case of the Galapagos Islands, showing people the fascinating wildlife that calls this fragile ecosystem home helps them to better appreciate it, and encourages them to see it as a place that needs to be treasured and protected. It’s such a unique part of the world, like no other place in its biodiversity. It’s a place that everyone wants to see – and should see – in their lifetime, and photography helps us to share in that beauty without endangering it.
“When people visit these places, and when they get familiar with the residents in particular, it fosters a certain respect and appreciation that can’t be achieved any other way.”
The Galapagos Islands is such a good example of that, because of how Charles Darwin’s studies sparked an entirely new awareness of biology. The history of photography is intrinsically tied up with that, as the documentation of historic expeditions helps their ideas to spread. It’s also entwined with the history of natural preservation itself. For example, iconic images by Carlton Watkins and Ansel Adams helped shaped the US National Parks system. How do you think about your photographs in light of the shared history between photography and our study and appreciation of the natural world?
Photography serves as a historical document. Going back to the earliest photographs, we can see how places – both landscapes and urban areas – have changed dramatically over the last 100-odd years. Certainly it can be quite profound to think about documenting the many, many changes that are happening in the world that we live in today.
And how do you think that modern luxury expeditions contribute to our ongoing understanding of the world’s most remote regions? Areas that were once very remote are now much more accessible, and with a higher level of comfortability.
That’s true. With the technology of ship-building and communications today, we’re able to experience these places much more easily than explorers what had to endure 100 years ago. We have a degree of access to the world that we’ve never had before – it’s safer, more convenient and more comfortable. But I also think that when people visit these places, and when they get familiar with the residents in particular, it fosters a certain respect and appreciation that can’t be achieved any other way.
To your point, photographic technology is more enhanced and accessible than ever before. At the same time, it seems like nearly every corner of the world has been photographed in the last 100 years. What advice would you offer to a young expedition photographer who’s interested in doing the kind of work that you do?
The challenge is that there’s so much competition in the profession. In the world we live in now, everyone’s seen everything; there’s no place in the world that hasn’t been photographed and filmed. So the expectation has been raised for photographers to engage in deeper, more novel ways. But that’s always been the case with art, and has never been an obstacle for someone who sees new approach or has a new vision.
