Sebastião Salgado, the celebrated Brazilian photographer known for his powerful black-and-white images of global crises and natural beauty, has died at the age of 81. His death was confirmed by Instituto Terra, the environmental organization he co-founded with his wife, Lélia Wanick Salgado.
Across a five-decade career, Salgado photographed life in over 130 countries, documenting events such as the Sahel famine, the Rwandan genocide, and the Gulf War oil fires. His final major work, Amazônia, focused on the rainforest and its Indigenous communities and was exhibited internationally.
Originally trained as an economist, Salgado turned to photography in the 1970s and later founded his own agency, Amazonas Images. He received numerous honors, including the 2024 Sony World Photography Award for Outstanding Contribution to Photography and recognition as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Salgado was also a passionate environmentalist. Through Instituto Terra, he and his wife led a major reforestation project in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, planting over three million trees.
Though praised for his artistry, Salgado also faced criticism for the way he depicted human suffering. He remained committed to using photography as a tool for social change.
He is survived by his wife and creative partner, Lélia Wanick Salgado.
