'I photographed the world," says Sebastião Salgado, flicking through the archive in his Paris studio. Salgado, who turned 80 last week, has witnessed wars, revolutions, coups, humanitarian crises and famine. He has also seen some of the most pristine places on the planet.
His body of work, an instantly recognisable combination of black-and-white composition and dramatic lighting, covers hundreds of assignments in 130 countries and his name stands in the photojournalist pantheon alongside figures such as Robert Capa, Margaret Bourke-White and Henri Cartier-Bresson.
Now, Salgado tells the Guardian, it's time to step down. "I know I won't live much longer. But I don't want to live much longer. I've lived so much and seen so many things."
Living with the legacy of a blood disorder from improperly treated malaria caught in Indonesia and spinal problems from a landmine that blew up his vehicle in 1974 during Mozambique's war of independence, he is ready to retire. Yet there is no shortage of projects for him to focus on.
This story is from the February 16, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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This story is from the February 16, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
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