I tell a little bit of my life to them, and they tell a little of theirs to me. The picture itself is just the tip of the iceberg.
Sebastiao SalgadoThe picture is not made by the photographer, the picture is more good or less good in function of the relationship that you have with the people you photograph.
Sebastiao SalgadoWhen I was just starting out, I met Cartier-Bresson. He wasn't young in age but, in his mind, he was the youngest person I'd ever met. He told me it was necessary to trust my instincts, be inside my work, and set aside my ego. In the end, my photography turned out very different to his, but I believe we were coming from the same place.
Sebastiao SalgadoI believe that the average person can help a lot, not by giving material goods but by participating, by being part of the discussion, by being truly concerned about what is going on in the world.
Sebastiao SalgadoWhen you work fast, what you put in your pictures is what your brought with yoiu - your own ideas and concepts. When you spend more time on a project, you learn to understand your subjects. There comes a time when it is not you who is taking the pictures. Something special happens between the photographer and the people he is photographing. He realizes that they are giving the pictures to him.
Sebastiao Salgado