Salgado

Last week of May 2025 the great documentary photographer Salgado passed away. He was afflicted with Leukemia from a malaria infection in Indonesia in 2012. As a torch bearer of environmental protectionism he was admired all over the world. But his critics commented negatively on the exoticization of poverty and also referred to eroticization of the indigenous people with inappropriate texts that were half truths that attempted a context. He replied to his critics “They say I was an aesthete of misery. The flaw my critics have , I dont. Its the feeling of guilt” adding Why should the poor world be uglier than the rich world? The light here is the same as there. The dignity here is the same as ther.

In 2024Sony World Photography awarded him the Outstanding Contribution to Photography Award.

” I photographed the world” says Salgado. He witnessed wars, revolutions, coups, humanitarian crises and famine. He has also seen some of the most pristine places on the planet- locations and people untouched by the devastating fury of the modern world. His work is immediately recognisable with great composition and lighting created over the years in assignments in 130 countries establishing his name at par with such photojournalist stalwarts as Eugene Smith, Magaret Bourke White, Capa, and Cartier Bresson .

His most popular published books are Amazonia, Genesis, The Children Refugees and Migrants, An Uncertain GraceSahel, Terra, Other Americas, Workers amongst others.