A Visionary Behind the Lens: Honouring Sebastião Salgado (1944–2025)

A community above Chimborazo, Ecuador - 1982 (Image Courtesy of International Center of Photography)

Brazilian photographer and photojournalist Sabastião Salgado died on May 23rd—a sad loss to his family and friends. But the legacy of work he leaves behind will continue to inspire many generations to come. He was an artist who worked with a social and environmental vision.

Trained as an economist, Salgado truly started taking his photography seriously when he travelled to Africa, and in 1973, he became a full-time photographer, working on self-assigned projects. His works have been widely published and touring exhibitions presented throughout the world. Together with his wife, he advocated to restore a part of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.

Salgado’s interest in the relationship between humans and nature was beautifully reflected in his work Genesis (2004-2011), a series of photographs of landscapes, wildlife and human communities who continue to practise their traditional ways of life. He won numerous awards throughout his career, including the Hasselblad Award (1989) and Outstanding Contribution to Photography Sony World Photography Awards (2024). His work was never just about capturing beauty—it was about showing truth, even when the truth was uncomfortable.

Why do photographers like Salgado choose to devote their lives to social and environmental causes when they could apply their gifts and skills to capturing the beautiful and cinematic? Do we need to be reminded of the poverty and sadness in the world?

The short answer to that is, yes, we do need a reminder. Our day-to-day struggles feel very real and our to-do lists cause tremendous anxiety. Yet most of us who live in developed countries never experience life-threatening inconveniences. When we make our electronic purchases, we hardly ever stop to trace back the assembly path of our latest and greatest technology. That path often leads to a destination few of us have the heart or stomach to imagine.

Social documentary photography is a dedication to presenting life in truth, as it is, without the candy coat, so that we may not become anaesthetised to the realities of a world we don’t physically encounter, but we cannot and must not disregard.

In a society where dissatisfaction has grown to disproportionate levels, it brings us in touch with our compassionate natures and with gratitude. As an art medium, social documentary photography is becoming increasingly popular and relevant. Through these powerful photographic imagery, we are confronted with the truth and it stirs the desire for change—whether political or social.

Leonora Ross is the author of the literary saga

A Life in Frames, the compelling story of Namibian photojournalist Lejf Busher, whose deep passion for capturing human stories through his camera lens defines his work and complicates his life.