This photograph of Afghanistan is striking for its serene beauty—so different from the images of conflict and devastation often associated with the country.
It was taken in the central province of Bamiyan, within the Band-e Amir National Park, known as the “Land of Lakes.”
For McCurry, this image holds a particularly symbolic meaning.
It was one of his many returns to Afghanistan, shortly after the fall of the Taliban regime.
The attacks on New York were still fresh in memory, and McCurry found himself reflecting on those events while traveling through the Afghan mountains.
One afternoon, he came upon these rock formations that reminded him of the Twin Towers—almost as if they were a sign.
He returned several times, waiting for the perfect combination of elements.
He hoped for the presence of life—a flock of sheep, a shepherd, or a lone animal.
Finally, one morning at dawn, around five o’clock, a single horse appeared—completing the image destined to become one of McCurry’s great icons.