The art of conversation is the art of hearing as well as of being heard.
― William Hazlitt, Selected Essays, 1778-1830
Good communication is as stimulating as
black coffee and just as hard to sleep after.
― Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea
A single conversation can completely change the trajectory of our lives.
– Kaye Earle
Conversation should be like juggling;
up go the balls and plates, up and over, in and out,
good solid objects that glitter in the footlights and
fall with a bang if you miss them.
― Evelyn Waugh
Lettuce is like conversation. It must be fresh and crisp, so sparkling
that you scarcely notice the bitter in it.
– Charles Dudley Warner
My idea of good company is the company of clever,
well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation;
that is what I call good company.
– Jane Austen
Love without conversation is impossible.
– Mortimer Adler
A single conversation across the table with a wise man is
better than ten years mere study of books.
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The most fruitful and natural exercise
for our minds is, in my opinion, conversation.
― Michel de Montaigne, The Essays: A Selection
Conversation. What is it? A Mystery!
It’s the art of never seeming bored, of touching everything with interest, of
pleasing with trifles, of being fascinating with nothing at all.
― Guy de Maupassant
Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility,
witty without affectation, free without indecency,
learned without conceitedness,
novel without falsehood.
– William Shakespeare
Steve McCurry Curated 
46 replies on “Tête-à-tête: The art of conversation”
Always love your work Steve, your work pulls at my heartstrings no matter what you shoot. I am a very emotional photographer and I always try to search for a person’s emotions because that is what tells the story.
Thank you for the evocative photos, and the words of wisdom that helps us to have a conversation with those pictured.
i find these collection of tête-à-têtes so poignant because nowadays most people you see when you’re out are talking to themselves. or rather, talking to their smartphones – even when they are in company.
[…] möchte ich mit Fotos von Steve McCurry. Damit wäre alles […]
Maravillosas tus fotos, abrazos desde Colombia
I hope to record and photograph the moment you did it very well, Steve, I’m going to document my time in line with my own style.
Grazie Steve !! La tua capacità di saper trasmettere mille sensazioni con una sola foto è unica e rara !!
Sei un grande !!
Thanks Steve !! Your ability to convey a thousand sensations with only one photo is unique and rare !!
You are a great !!
So simple and yet so true. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing your great photos. To me, it is not important to hear the conversations. The beauty is in seeing the conversants, and you have captured that perfectly.
Exactly what I was thinking! But to be honest I do wish I could have overheard the two ladies in Turkey that are sitting down together on the bench with a fantastic wall and struggling tree behind them.
Magnificent photos. Thank you for sharing your wonderful talent. I would not want to overhear the conversations, but you make it a pleasure to oversee them!
What a gorgeous collection of photos.
[…] Tete-a-tete: the art of conversation – Steve McCurry’s photo blog […]
Reblogged this on Wonder and Beauty and commented:
Another treasure from Steve McCurry . . .
Magnifique série ! Merci pour ces images.
interesting theme, thank you
beautiful series.
Great set of images, each with a story to tell…some wonderful captured moments
Beautiful collection of stories !!
Reblogged this on picturetours.
I can drown in each and everyone of these photos, trying to find out what they are talking about. It’s like a perfect novel, stimulating my fantasy.
Thank you for posting these photographs. They give instant and poignant insight into so many other lives.
Thank you for sharing Steve. This was a great experience. Nice work and project 🙂
Wonderful positive, poignant and story telling
Perfect moments of human connection. Fabulous collection, Steve.
Reblogged this on My Blog.
Wow! Awesome pictures
I can just imagine what each conversation was. You’ve captured the moments perfectly. Intriguingly. Well done!
Fabulous images that tell fabulous stories! Thanks for sharing and showing us how to capture powerful images.
The nurses from France with the buggies: exquisite. 👏
I cannot explain this but that scene was calming to me. I did not want to leave and go on.
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Steve McCurry’s photography … always amazing! ❤️
[…] via Tête-à-tête: The art of conversation — Steve McCurry’s Blog […]
I always try to look at a photograph first being aware of how it makes me feel and secondly the composition. Kudos on every level – of course. Thank you.
I’ve never met you but you, like all good portraitists, must be a great conversador… ; )
Wonderful photos that tell a story.
As usual, you share such beautiful photos/quotes that always make me feel better about the World and the condition that it is. Thank you. You lifted my heart.
As always, lovely. Thank you for gathering these from your collection.
Love this set of images with their words of wisdom..as always!
Beautifully captured photos of people so engrossed in deep conversations . Thank you Stevebhai.
”Conversation is an exercise of the mind; gossip is merely an exercise of the tongue.”
You always touch my hart and inspire me.
With your photo’s and with your qoutes.
They make each other stronger. TOP.
Marvellous , each and everyone of these series.
Another eye opening and beautiful series.
so true and beautiful post, steve
Wonderfully poignant and expressive photos and enjoyed the quotes too – bravo!
Fantastic as usual. Love the topic and all the quotes with each photo.