Sebastiao Salgado "Genesis"

Sebastiao Salgado “Genesis”

            Sebastiao Salgado is an award-winning Brazilian photographer known for raising public awareness about the most talked issues today in society such as, the environment, and the sudden climate change. Salgado was born on February 8th, 1944, in Aimores Brazil. He first began his career as an economist; however, in the 1970s he soon became a photographer. At the age of 26, he began to interest himself in photography. He worked as a freelancer for the finest photographic agencies allowing him to travel around the world to document his research. His photographs soon appeared in newspapers and magazines in many countries.

            Salgado mainly focused his work on the repercussions of hardship, poverty, oppression, and the industrialization of the environment. Photographers such as, Lewis Hine, W. Eugene Smith, and Walker Evans inspired Salgado to look into subjects similar to social inequality and are represented in black and white.

            In 1977, Salgado began a new project of the rural peasants of Latin America. It was published in 1986 along with his new book called, Other Americas. He also worked with a humanitarian organization called the Doctors without Borders on a project dealing with famine in Africa. He was able to publish two pieces of work and donated the funds to Doctors without borders.

            In 1986 until 1992, he was able to travel to 23 different countries and visit manual laborers in agricultural sites for instance, oil fields, and commercial fisheries. This gave him the concept to write a new book called workers; it was mainly focused on large group of people who had immigrated under pressure.

            Salgado began a new project in 2004 and was published recently in 2013 called, Genesis. He decided to mainly focus on landscape and wildlife. Salgado was able to travel around the world and experience nature in a different perspective. He enjoyed the idea that nature was untouched by mankind and it had its own natural beauty. The International Center of Photography were able to put Sebastiao Salgado’s work on exhibit and many individuals were allowed to experience his sights through photographs printed in black and white.

            The work of Salgado stood out during the exhibit mainly because the photos weren’t in color but in black and white. Changing the photo in black and white can potentially bring out the depth of that image and the true meaning behind that particular photo. For instance, Salgado was able to travel to the Patagonian prairies and take images from the tip of the mountains. By looking at this photo for

a couple of minutes you can tell the distinction between the mountains and how the different shades of grey can enhance the photo. Light can make a contrast in the photo; in the center you can tell the discrete separation of the mountains by the water trail. As well as, the beam of light stroking the center of the mountains. This image brings out the inner beauty of nature that Americans don’t have the power to see everyday.

            Salgado was also able to travel to the Galapagos in Ecuador and experience the wildlife before his eyes. Just by glancing at the various works of Salgado, one can visually see how much work he has put into creating such beautiful photographs. Each photo has its own inner beauty and a hidden message Salgado is trying to portray to his viewers. As a student, viewing these photographs was a bit overwhelming but, at the same time was very inspirational. The exhibit allows people to open their eyes and mind to see that the world is actually filled with simplicity but very beautiful. He was able to take pictures of people in a certain environments and show their living situations. The picture shown on the left shows two

African American females. By looking at the photograph one can depict that this wasn’t taken somewhere in the United Status because of the environment and the clothing the individuals are wearing. Salgado allowed his mind to explore to different countries and take photographs of people that are unique and what we are not used to seeing in our everyday lives. The picture is very beautiful because of the different shades of light that has been pronounced. Such as the darks and lights around the individuals as well as, the background. The background is filled of light allowing the two females to pop with there distinct features. The females have white bands on their heads and white beads around their hands that shows their dark skin and alluring features.