Thank You, Sebastião Salgado (1944–2025)

I was traveling in Manila when I heard the news of Sebastião Salgado’s passing. It is a tremendous loss—for photography, for the planet, and for the countless lives his work touched. He will be dearly missed.

Sebastião Salgado is more than a photographer; he is a witness to humanity. Through his lens, he has chronicled the dignity of labor, the pain of displacement, and the untouched beauty of our planet. His iconic black and white portraits—of workers, migrants, and the forgotten—speak with a quiet power that transcends borders and language.

With the Genesis project, Salgado turned his gaze toward the Earth itself, capturing landscapes and wildlife in their most pristine state. These images are not just photographs; they are acts of reverence—pleas to protect what is still pure.

What sets Salgado apart is not only his unmatched eye for composition but the profound empathy behind every frame. With kindness and disarming simplicity, he invites us to see the world not as distant spectators, but as participants in a shared human story.

In his work, we see the rare union of activism and artistry, talent and humility. Salgado reminds us that photography, at its best, is both a mirror and a bridge: a mirror reflecting who we are, and a bridge toward understanding, compassion, and change.