Steve McCurry - Dust Storm, Rajasthan, India 1983

Steve McCurry's Iconic Photographs #4

He ruined his cameras getting it but Dust Storm was destined to become one of Steve McCurry's best ever shots

It's hard to pick a favourite photo from Magnum Photographer Steve McCurry's The Iconic Photographs as anyone who's leafed through it will know. It's one of those decisions that just changes every time you look at the book. However, there is one that's always near the top of our list at phaidon.com and it's Dust Storm. 

Taken at the hottest time of the year in Rajasthan, India, Steve was being driven in a taxi when suddenly a wall of dust just blew in from nowhere with an incredible roar.

"It was quite frightenting," he remembers in our video interview with him below. "These women were off on the side of the road huddled together protecting themselves. I saw them out the car window and thought this is going to be an incredible situation. I ran across the field, thinking my cameras were going to be ruined and made maybe a dozen pictures. it was very exciting. In a situation like this sometimes you're not really thinking you're just reacting your brain is on automatic pilot and you just shoot away."

Listen to Steve describe in detail how he got the shot below and take a look at our extensive online Steve McCurry content, browse his magnificent books in the store and visit his site.

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