Sebastião Salgado’s Journey From Brazil to the World: Response WEA#2

This artcle is a Q&A session with Sebastiao Salgado and his photography/documentary, "The Salt of the Earth". When the questioner asks about what influenced his photography, he responded with this: "My work is the result of my training, my heritage, cultural and ideological and ethical." I agree with this. A photographer is a blend of his photographs, his beliefs, and his intention. He goes on to say that, "Photography is my life. It’s my way of life, and my language. I went to photograph the things that I had a great curiosity to see and to organize." He doesn't see photography as a medium. Rather, he takes privilege in being able to work in such a way all his life. He embraces technological changes and is content with the direction his life took. If society decides photography is obsolete, then so be it, he says.

However, I don't believe that photography will fade any time soon. It is too integrated into our culture, and, while it may not be a way of life for some, it is a medium for sharing and capturing moment to moment experiences.

He also says that each photographer has a certain style that he or she cannot change. it is who they are. This ties very closely with his previous points, and I agree. How we take photos and what we take photos of is critically influenced by our individuality.