Many photographers position themselves as artists. Sebastian Salgado picked up the camera for other reasons. He talks about the events taking place on planet Earth, using not words and letters, but photographs.
Childhood and youth
Our planet is little equipped for happiness. Sincere and honest people cannot accept such a situation. Sebastian Salgado became interested in photography late. By that time, he was 30 years old. He received an excellent education and worked in one of the divisions of the World Bank. As part of his official duties, he had to visit different countries and continents. When the economist saw what traces European and American companies left behind in Africa, he decided to quit his prestigious profession and take up photojournalism.
The future photojournalist was born on February 8, 1944 in the family of a Brazilian farmer. The parents lived in a hacienda in a remote area of the state of Minas Gerais. My father was engaged in breeding and raising cattle. The mother worked as a veterinarian. Sebastian was trained from an early age for the difficulties of independent living. He studied well at school. Distinguished by diligence and good behavior. He defended his Master's degree in Economics from the famous University of São Paulo The certified specialist was accepted into the staff of an international company that was engaged in the production and supply of coffee.
Creative activity
After Salgado chose the camera as his main tool, his lifestyle changed markedly. At first, he prioritized political reporting and news coverage. After a while, the work of the photojournalist shifts to the sphere of social problems. A child exhausted by systematic malnutrition appears in the photographs. A disabled person who carries a huge flask of water. A dilapidated house in which a large family huddles. In 1986, his first book, Other Americas, was published, which included fifty black-and-white photographs.
In the mid-1980s, Salgado began to systematically collaborate with Médecins Sans Frontières. He spent almost a year and a half in the desert region of the Sahel in northeastern Africa. Here more than a million people have died from malnutrition and disease. His photo project "Sahel: A Man in Need" brought worldwide fame to Sebastian. Politicians from developed countries began to pay attention to his work. The photojournalist devoted a lot of time to the problems of international migration and the hopeless situation of workers engaged in hard physical labor.
Recognition and privacy
For his photo reports and books, Sebastian Salgado has been awarded many prestigious awards. He was elected an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
The personal life of the photographer has developed well. He married Lelia Vanik during his student years. Husband and wife not only lived under one roof, but also shared difficulties on long trips. The couple raised and raised two sons.
