Three Powerful Lessons From One Great Book
How the story of Sebastião Salgado continues to light the path
While hosting my workshop in India last year, our group stopped by a bookstore in Varanasi where I stumbled upon a book I never knew existed. From My Land To The Planet by Sebastião Salgado is a brief but powerful glimpse into the incredible journey of one of history’s most respected photographers.
I devoured this book in two sittings, eventually re-reading it and scribbling notes all over the margins. It’s an incredible memoir that I believe any active photographer will appreciate. Across 170 pages, Salgado takes us through his entire life, from his beginnings as a student of economics to the publication of Genesis in his later years. From having to leave his home country, to starting the photography career, balancing a family, surviving in tough conditions, the emotional toll of witnessing death, and even critiques on the medium, Salgado shares so much on his journey. It’s incredible.
This week, I’d like to share three lessons I’ve taken away from my time with this book. Three insights that have given me even more conviction in my own approach.
Photographers Act As Mirrors
There’s a moment in the book where Salgado’s spirit seems to jump right off the page. After chapters spent waxing poetic about the photographer’s journey, he finally confronts his critics with a fierce rebuke:
