Sebastião Salgado, Legendary Brazilian Photographer and Environmentalist, Dies at 81
His work spanned over five decades, during which he captured the stark realities of human suffering and the natural world in 130 countries
Renowned Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado passed away on Friday, May 23, at the age of 81.
His death was announced by Instituto Terra, the environmental nonprofit he co-founded with his wife Lélia Wanick Salgado.
The announcement did not specify the location or cause of death, but family statements revealed he had long battled health complications stemming from a severe form of malaria contracted in 2010, which later developed into leukaemia.
Salgado was celebrated worldwide for his powerful black-and-white photography that captured the human condition, social injustice, and the natural world. His work spanned over five decades and more than 130 countries, documenting global crises including the Sahel famine, the Gulf War, and the Rwandan genocide, as well as the lives of marginalised communities and the Amazon rainforest.
Documentary photographer Sebastião Salgado passed away today at 81. No one used the medium better, I think, to capture both the difficulties of the human condition and the sheer magic of life. If you're not familiar with him, I urge you to find and explore his work esp. in print. pic.twitter.com/85bbA45GbM
— John Zada (@senor_adaz) May 23, 2025
Born in 1944 in Aimorés, Brazil, Salgado initially trained as an economist before turning to photography in the early 1970s. He and his wife dedicated themselves to environmental restoration through Instituto Terra, transforming degraded farmland in Brazil into a thriving rainforest by planting millions of trees.
4. En 1994, Sebastião Salgado volvió a Brasil y encontró su hogar estéril. Junto a su esposa, plantaron 2,7 millones de árboles en 20 años, restaurando 1.500 acres de selva y devolviendo la vida a especies en peligro de extinción. pic.twitter.com/wT0iatLN3L
— LÍA (@lia_viral) January 7, 2025
His photographic legacy includes iconic projects such as Workers, Migrations, and Genesis, which highlighted labourers, refugees, and pristine natural environments. Salgado received numerous prestigious awards, including the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, multiple World Press Photo prizes, the Outstanding Contribution Award from the Sony World Photography Awards in 2024, and was a member of the French Academy of Fine Arts.
“A fotografia é o espelho da sociedade” (SALGADO, Sebastião) pic.twitter.com/eGf4WWwVku
— Bruno Guzzo® (@BrunoGuzz0) May 23, 2025
Instituto Terra described him as “much more than one of the greatest photographers of our era,” emphasising his role as a transformative figure who used his art to reveal the world’s complexities and inspire environmental and social change.
Following the news of his demise, obituaries and tributes are pouring in on X’s timeline.
L’art de Sebastião SALGADO a gagné le monde grâce à l’impact que ses images provoquent chez le spectateur. Ses photographies transmettent l’émotion et la beauté du monde diversifié où on habite.
— Étudier Est Impérieux 🇧🇷 (@etudiantsBR) June 27, 2021
SALGADO est l’une des célèbres personnalités de la culture franco-brésilienne. 1/4 pic.twitter.com/BsRbPsOleF
Un immense photographe, un grand homme.
— Clotilde Bigot (@Clo_Bigot) May 23, 2025
Merci pour tout Sebastiao Salgado. pic.twitter.com/DcpP0GdZ9V
Sad news that Sebastião Salgado has died.😢 He was 1 of the greatest photo artists, visionaries & environmental, global activists of all times. His light will never fade. Thank you 4 all, Sir!🙏 #RIP
— Hildegard Mathies (@HerzensSonne22) May 23, 2025
📷 Sebastião Salgado via icp; Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil [CC BY 3.0] Wiki pic.twitter.com/dtXm7GaJLl
R.i.p Sebastião Salgado 📷 😭
— ℘. (@iluvtortellini) May 23, 2025
some of his Amazônia serie are framed in my house pic.twitter.com/DHxEo4vDKc
Adieu #Sebastião Salgado 🙏🏻, poète de la photographie
— Isabelle Moureaux (@IsaMoureaux) May 23, 2025
Et voir ou revoir le magnifique documentaire de @wimwenders
le “Sel de la terre” pic.twitter.com/G6CWJS1T51
Documentary photographer Sebastião Salgado passed away today at 81. No one used the medium better, I think, to capture both the difficulties of the human condition and the sheer magic of life. If you're not familiar with him, I urge you to find and explore his work esp. in print. pic.twitter.com/85bbA45GbM
— John Zada (@senor_adaz) May 23, 2025
