article_snippet: But there was a crowd of people around us, the dust was swirling around, and the dust was before digital cameras and you never knew what would happen with the film.
article_snippet: My camera acts as a shield when I'm photographing something horrific, as it's easier to look at distressing sights through a viewfinder," McCurry says.
article_snippet: But when I'm not in a war zone, having a camera helps me talk to people, interact, and get involved.
article_snippet: To take a good picture, you need to spend time with people until people trust you and forget that you're there to photograph people.
article_snippet: I try to make eye contact when I take a portrait, as it seems to allow you to understand the person, to see people story written on people face.
article_snippet: The advent of the digital camera, McCurry says, has made McCurry job easier.
article_snippet: I'm not one of those photographers that hankers after the good old days," McCurry says.
article_snippet: Digital photography is better than film ever was.
article_snippet: Although everybody is taking pictures with camera phones, McCurry says, this is "just noise", and doesn't "dilute the value" of a truly great photograph that will endure and be memorable."