I was privileged to attend a private opening to the Sebastiao Salgado’s gallery showing at Leica’s Boston store. This was one of the great thrills of my photography journey. I learned yesterday of his passing. This is a great loss to the world. He had courage and vision, not only in his photographic journey, but as an advocate for the environment. By returning to his family home its former lush grounds had from neglect and use turned to parched nothingness. He and his wife began by planting a tree at a time. From their efforts a lush rain forest again thrived there. The site was eventually adopted by Brazil as a national treasure.
He lived among the common people to document genocide in Africa, flight from famine and environmental degradation. At the same time, he traveled to the far corners of the earth to capture the Earth’s beauty with timeless care.
In my view, Salgado stands aside Jean Cartier Bresson as a photographer without parallel.
Rest in peace Sebastiao.
