Sebastião Salgado, Chinstrap Penguins

Sebastião Salgado’s quest to capture nature in its original state began in 2004, culminating in his most celebrated body of work, ‘Genesis’ (2013). The title refers to the beginning of time, when nature emerged in its most pure and primary form. As the world’s number of untouched landscapes are becoming increasingly scarce, Salgado sought out the few remaining locations, not simply to record them, but to urge for their preservation. Genesis takes us on a journey to the remotest regions of the planet, including Antarctica, perhaps the world’s most endangered habitat.

One of the best-known photographs from the series is ‘Chinstrap Penguins’ (2009). Located between Zavodovski and Visokoi in the South Sandwich Islands, this wintery shot captures a line of penguins jumping off the iceberg edge into the sea.

Salgado’s images are rendered in strong chiaroscuro; deep blacks contrasted by intense areas of light. This aestheticised depiction of the natural world serves the artist’s purpose, heightening the overwhelming scale of the landscape, creating an image rich in atmosphere and drama. This, in turn, encourages engagement from a viewer: vital for Salgado’s environmentally motivated agenda. Between the rocky textures of the towering iceberg and the choppy sea below, Salgado still captures a purity—a sense of comradery, bravery and hope.

Salgado is the recipient of the 2024 prestigious Sony World Photography award for his “Outstanding Contribution to Photography”. This recognition celebrates his highly influential five-decade career, during which he has captured powerful stories of humanity, nature, and global migration. His work, such as the series ‘Workers’, ‘Genesis’, and ‘Amazônia’, showcases both the resilience of people and the vulnerability of the planet’s ecosystems.