How Did a Face Unkown Become so Famous??
February 6, 2008
Most of us would know her. Not personally but at least have seen her face at least once in our lifetime. But how did this face of hers become so famous?
What do you know about this picture? What can you tell about her? And again, why did she become so famous?
This Photograph was taken in 1984 when she was 12 or 13 years old. Some of us will not understand why this picture became so famous but only because we do not understand the essence of it; the story behind the eyes that were captured. This “National Geographic Afghan Girl” was made famous by the well acclaimed Steve McCurry. He once said: “Most of my images are grounded in people, and i try to convey what it is like to be that person, a person caught in a broader landscape, that i guess you’ll call the human condition.”
We learn from this that there is usually more to it then what we see on the surface, what we call non-verbal communication. It could sometimes be direct and at many other times, indirect. Just like in our everyday lives, we thrive on non-verbal communication. Be it in throwing a tantrum or going through an interview, we constantly are communicating to the people around us. Through our actions, body language, eye contact, physical appearance are some, but not limited to, of the ways people deciper information about us and vice versa.
Oculesics, the study of non-verbal meaning associated with the eyes, assume the major role of conveying this picture’s message.The picture shows us the intense emotions that the girl is going through. Without knowing her background or anything, her eyes penetrate such intense fear but yet we can see a glimer with hope; mysterious yet innocent, those eyes of hers speak a million words. Another aspect of the picture that tells us more of her less privilidged background would be her attire. This makes use of objectics to convey deeper meaning.
Its scary but true sometimes; the statement, “the eyes are the window to the soul.”
