Kicino

Impressive! My jaws dropped, my eyes opened wide and my heart ached as I watched these stunning images taken by veteran photographer Sebastião Salgado. It hits more as he explains the background under which he took those pictures. Born in Brazil, he is more than a photographer, a photojournalist, an anthropologist, an adventurer, a loving husband and a father. He is a humanist who shows us the world through his lens and the emotions he captured and feelings awed. He is also very lucky to have a wife who supports his dream and passion. They plan and work together to build massive projects which let Sebastião away from home for lengths spanning from month to years.

Looking at his pictures, we are like traveling in time and space while freezing at certain moments. The feminine, the skeletons, the piles of corpses, the hollow eyes of young refugees, the massive camps like ants against the beautiful backdrop of the African savana, the determination of a little boy who walked to flee expulsion. Then the workers, the Indians and Siberian tribe braving snow storms, the Nenets who live near the Arctic Circle and the polygamous Zo'é who wear a wood stick under their chin. Fascinating! What is valuable is Sebastião explains the situations under which he took the pictures and how the situations still haunt him or move him.

The pictures are stunning. The photographer's life is equally interesting. He is so honest and humble in showing how much he cares about humankind, the earth and his own family. After witnessing the sufferings on different continents, his project came one full circle to Genesis as he explored the earth, its wildlife and untouched human civilizations as it has started from the beginning of time. We saw his humbleness towards nature and animals as he described his journey. In the end, he himself came one big circle and return to Brazil to replant trees in his father's farm which had dried out for decades. After a decade, shades re-emerged and even the jaguar returned to the forest. Sebastião was hopeful that the waterfall he saw when he was a boy would eventually return.

Quite a realization after traveling around all corners of the world and starting to appreciate the very basics. I think we should all learn from him to respect nature – both the wild and human. I watched it twice in three years and I would watch it again if I have a chance. Highly recommend.