Brazilian Photographer Sebastião Salgado Dies at 81

Sebastião Salgado, the renowned Brazilian photojournalist and environmentalist, died at the age of 81 due to leukemia triggered by malaria. Initially an economist, Salgado shifted to photography in the early 1970s, gaining global recognition for his powerful black-and-white images documenting human struggles, labor, Indigenous communities, and natural landscapes, notably his iconic series on the Serra Pelada gold mine. He co-founded Instituto Terra with his wife Lélia Wanick Salgado, which has led significant reforestation efforts in Brazil, planting over three million trees to restore devastated land. Salgado's work, including acclaimed projects such as Workers, Exodus, Genesis, and Gold, highlighted the dignity of humanity amid hardship and environmental destruction. His photographic legacy is captured in the Oscar-nominated documentary The Salt of the Earth, reflecting his deep connection with the subjects and his belief in the potential for planetary regeneration. Salgado's dedication to portraying the human condition and environmental conservation continues through Instituto Terra under the stewardship of his family.