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Sebastião Salgado. Amazônia
Sebastião Salgado traveled the Brazilian Amazon and photographed the unparalleled beauty of this extraordinary region for six the forest, the rivers, the mountains, the people who live there—an irreplaceable treasure of humanity.In the book’s foreword Salgado “For me, it is the last frontier, a mysterious universe of its own, where the immense power of nature can be felt as nowhere else on earth. Here is a forest stretching to infinity that contains one-tenth of all living plant and animal species, the world’s largest single natural laboratory.”Salgado visited a dozen indigenous tribes that exist in small communities scattered across the largest tropical rainforest in the world. He documented the daily life of the Yanomami, the Asháninka, the Yawanawá, the Suruwahá, the Zo’é, the Kuikuro, the Waurá, the Kamayurá, the Korubo, the Marubo, the Awá, and the Macuxi—their warm family bonds, their hunting and fishing, the manner in which they prepare and share meals, their marvelous talent for painting their faces and bodies, the significance of their shamans, and their dances and rituals.Sebastião Salgado has dedicated this book to the indigenous peoples of Brazil’s Amazon “My wish, with all my heart, with all my energy, with all the passion I possess, is that in 50 years’ time this book will not resemble a record of a lost world. Amazônia must live on.”
191 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
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134 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 14, 2024
Inspiration for a variety of genres of photography.
1. Photography of nature; rather than focussing on geometry, as I tend to do in cities where all buildings are based on geometry, one should focus more on proportion and composition. Nature is, generally speaking, not as orderly as us human beings can be.
2. Portrait photography; capture a characteristic expression, or element. Otherwise you’re just taking passport photos. Preferably in the mien’s features itself, otherwise you’re easily moving towards fashion or product photography.
3. Ethnographic photography; basically fashion photography, but not about fashion. One could argue that the way us westerners treat fashion is much the same as any kind of attire is for indigenous peoples. One could retort that the attire for indigenous peoples is inherently functional, such as ritualistic or for the hunt, but is the kind of effect that fashion expresses not an equally inherent function to when taken in the context of our society’s way of living?
1. Photography of nature; rather than focussing on geometry, as I tend to do in cities where all buildings are based on geometry, one should focus more on proportion and composition. Nature is, generally speaking, not as orderly as us human beings can be.
2. Portrait photography; capture a characteristic expression, or element. Otherwise you’re just taking passport photos. Preferably in the mien’s features itself, otherwise you’re easily moving towards fashion or product photography.
3. Ethnographic photography; basically fashion photography, but not about fashion. One could argue that the way us westerners treat fashion is much the same as any kind of attire is for indigenous peoples. One could retort that the attire for indigenous peoples is inherently functional, such as ritualistic or for the hunt, but is the kind of effect that fashion expresses not an equally inherent function to when taken in the context of our society’s way of living?
December 1, 2021
A book everyone should have!
September 25, 2025
Salgado's photography is always breathtaking, and this book is a great example. It's also an engaging introduction to the indigenous tribes of the region, the physical characteristics and the vastness of the region.
February 28, 2025
Me gusta aprender de las tribus, pero me parece fatal que sea en blanco y negro. Si algo merece mostrar sus colores es el esplendor de la Amazonía. Me parece criminal. Lo siento, no lo sé apreciar
January 28, 2025
Inutile dire che dopo aver ammirato questo libro, non solo vorrei tutti i libri con fotografie di Salgado ma vorrei tutti i libri di questa casa editrice. Questo libro è un esempio di come l’editoria può creare dei capolavori non solo con i testi, ma soprattutto con le immagini.
June 15, 2021
Absolutely insane! Amazing black and white photos. I enjoyed this coffee table art piece very much. They took me away to a different world in the same way National Geographic took me around the world as a kid.
What an amazing photographer and the images capture an age that truly is at risk of disappearing forever. It was like a window back in time - what a gift to the world.
What an amazing photographer and the images capture an age that truly is at risk of disappearing forever. It was like a window back in time - what a gift to the world.
July 23, 2024
As always a masterpiece by Salgado !
Thank you Ris!
Thank you Ris!
June 25, 2023
Beautiful photography. Very few others than Sebastião Salgado could capture such private moments of the tribes and give insights about their way of life; the aerial photos are breathtaking!
I'll be forever interested in researching about this part of the world and its people since my husband is one-half Amazonian. Even though the tribe he is related to is only briefly mentioned, it was a pleasant surprise to have one more piece of information about it.
But don't be fooled by the pretty pictures and fall into the trap of romanticising the jungle. Beautiful from the outside, the life it offers is harsh and brutal and will crush your little hippie heart if you think the city life is too cruel and you're a better fit for a tribal style of living. If you let me, I'll quote what Werner Herzog had to say after filming for several months in the Amazonian jungle:
- Werner Herzog, Burden of Dreams, 1982
A note I feel the need to make is about the concern with the lowering numbers of some tribes. You do have to understand that people from the jungle move out of it and into the cities. Willingly. They no longer count themselves as part of the tribes they're genetically associated with and become Brazilians, Peruvians, Colombians, Bolivians, etc. And believe it or not, they're proud of it! They get higher education, have jobs, become Christian and have a different style of life because they chose to. While they no longer speak their mother tongue and practise their religion, you know what? They survived. They survived despite genocide, sickness, drug traffickers, illegal lodgers, and whatnot. Despite the jungle even. To us, the Westerners, it might seem sad, but believe me, if you speak with anyone that got out of the jungle, they'll make it clear they have no intention of returning there. No hunting among piranhas, no snake bites, no amputating your arm because of an infection... you can buy salt, you can get bread right there from the 24/7 supermarket.
I'm more concerned about the non-contact tribes. They're the ones that the government of Brazil purposefully keeps isolated "for their safety" beyond the fact that the FUNAI (Fundação Nacional dos Povos Indígenas) closed its monitoring posts because of escalations with drug traffickers. The non-contact people stay in the jungle and will end there if we continue to purposefully isolate them. The intention was good at first, but we're literally leaving them to survive on their own while illegal traffickers cross their territories. Integration isn't as bad as people picture it. And that's some food for thought.
I'll be forever interested in researching about this part of the world and its people since my husband is one-half Amazonian. Even though the tribe he is related to is only briefly mentioned, it was a pleasant surprise to have one more piece of information about it.
But don't be fooled by the pretty pictures and fall into the trap of romanticising the jungle. Beautiful from the outside, the life it offers is harsh and brutal and will crush your little hippie heart if you think the city life is too cruel and you're a better fit for a tribal style of living. If you let me, I'll quote what Werner Herzog had to say after filming for several months in the Amazonian jungle:
Taking a close look at what's around us, there is some sort of a harmony. It is the harmony of overwhelming and collective murder. And we, in comparison to the articulate vileness and baseness and obscenity of all this jungle, we in comparison to that enormous articulation, we only sound and look like badly pronounced and half-finished sentences out of a stupid suburban cheap novel. And we have to become humble in front of this overwhelming misery and overwhelming fornication, overwhelming growth, and overwhelming lack of order. Even the stars up here in the sky look like a mess. [...] We have to get acquainted to that idea that there's no real harmony as we have conceived it. But when I say this, I say this all full of admiration for the jungle. It is not that I hate it, I love it. I love it very much. But I love it against my better judgement
- Werner Herzog, Burden of Dreams, 1982
A note I feel the need to make is about the concern with the lowering numbers of some tribes. You do have to understand that people from the jungle move out of it and into the cities. Willingly. They no longer count themselves as part of the tribes they're genetically associated with and become Brazilians, Peruvians, Colombians, Bolivians, etc. And believe it or not, they're proud of it! They get higher education, have jobs, become Christian and have a different style of life because they chose to. While they no longer speak their mother tongue and practise their religion, you know what? They survived. They survived despite genocide, sickness, drug traffickers, illegal lodgers, and whatnot. Despite the jungle even. To us, the Westerners, it might seem sad, but believe me, if you speak with anyone that got out of the jungle, they'll make it clear they have no intention of returning there. No hunting among piranhas, no snake bites, no amputating your arm because of an infection... you can buy salt, you can get bread right there from the 24/7 supermarket.
I'm more concerned about the non-contact tribes. They're the ones that the government of Brazil purposefully keeps isolated "for their safety" beyond the fact that the FUNAI (Fundação Nacional dos Povos Indígenas) closed its monitoring posts because of escalations with drug traffickers. The non-contact people stay in the jungle and will end there if we continue to purposefully isolate them. The intention was good at first, but we're literally leaving them to survive on their own while illegal traffickers cross their territories. Integration isn't as bad as people picture it. And that's some food for thought.
January 20, 2022
Moving and beautiful showing the nearly unimaginable (and largely uncharted) vastness of the Amazon. It is hard to believe that there are areas and peoples that have never been observed (much less invaded) by the western world. However, these "Edens" as the author/photographer terms them, are as fragile as they are unknown. In fact they must remain unknown or they will lose their existence to exploitation and diseases for which they have no natural defenses.
Moving from the vast and dense topography of the region to the intimate portraits of the small tribes whose fragile existence depends on their isolation the author illuminates the beauty of the region as well as of the indigenous tribes. We get to know them as social units and as individuals and realize that we are all basically the same, or that what is good in us is universal.
This gorgeous book is a celebration of beauty and a plea for conservation and protection for not only this wonderful region and its people, but a reminder that the preservation of this region is also necessary for the preservation of our planet and our species because the Amazon is crucial to the health of Earth and has a huge impact on normalization of the climate worldwide.
My only recommendation for future editions would be to move the extensive and well written photograph notes and place them on the same (or facing) pages as the photos. This book is massive, oversized and heavy, with nearly 500 photos, and having to go to the back of the book for the description of every picture is cumbersome.
This book was given to me by the family of a Brazilian foreign exchange student that is living with us this year--and I am grateful and will treasure it.
Moving from the vast and dense topography of the region to the intimate portraits of the small tribes whose fragile existence depends on their isolation the author illuminates the beauty of the region as well as of the indigenous tribes. We get to know them as social units and as individuals and realize that we are all basically the same, or that what is good in us is universal.
This gorgeous book is a celebration of beauty and a plea for conservation and protection for not only this wonderful region and its people, but a reminder that the preservation of this region is also necessary for the preservation of our planet and our species because the Amazon is crucial to the health of Earth and has a huge impact on normalization of the climate worldwide.
My only recommendation for future editions would be to move the extensive and well written photograph notes and place them on the same (or facing) pages as the photos. This book is massive, oversized and heavy, with nearly 500 photos, and having to go to the back of the book for the description of every picture is cumbersome.
This book was given to me by the family of a Brazilian foreign exchange student that is living with us this year--and I am grateful and will treasure it.
July 13, 2025
An Utterly Fantastic Collection of Photographs Chronicling the Topic
This reviewer had earlier read “Genesis”, another book of Sebastiao Salgado. This book, too, was another collection of photographs that were utterly amazing (albeit on a different subject). This reviewer hence purchased Amazonia. The reviewer was not disappointed.
Amazonia has an utterly amazing collection of photographs on the Amazon. These are by different major tribes located in the Amazon as well as geographic features (mostly taken from the air). The book also has a few pages of text describing what the photographs capture but the true stars of this book, by far, are the photographs. Utterly incredible. For this reason this reviewer believes this book is worthy of a five-star rating (enthusiastically).
This is not to say that the book does not have a few weaknesses. It should be noted, however, that these weaknesses apply to the version of this book that is the smallest of size, not the ones of larger dimensions. One weakness of the small one is the fact that the fonts are microscopic. They seem to be only 2 size fonts, making them very difficult to read without seriously straining the eyes. The second weakness, again of this small edition, is the fact that the photographs just do not stand out as much as they do in the larger editions of this work. Hence they do a disservice to the photographs (albeit not very much).
Despite aforementioned weaknesses of the small book, one would still recommend its purchase, especially if one cannot afford to spend considerably more for the larger editions. This is just a spectacular book.
This reviewer had earlier read “Genesis”, another book of Sebastiao Salgado. This book, too, was another collection of photographs that were utterly amazing (albeit on a different subject). This reviewer hence purchased Amazonia. The reviewer was not disappointed.
Amazonia has an utterly amazing collection of photographs on the Amazon. These are by different major tribes located in the Amazon as well as geographic features (mostly taken from the air). The book also has a few pages of text describing what the photographs capture but the true stars of this book, by far, are the photographs. Utterly incredible. For this reason this reviewer believes this book is worthy of a five-star rating (enthusiastically).
This is not to say that the book does not have a few weaknesses. It should be noted, however, that these weaknesses apply to the version of this book that is the smallest of size, not the ones of larger dimensions. One weakness of the small one is the fact that the fonts are microscopic. They seem to be only 2 size fonts, making them very difficult to read without seriously straining the eyes. The second weakness, again of this small edition, is the fact that the photographs just do not stand out as much as they do in the larger editions of this work. Hence they do a disservice to the photographs (albeit not very much).
Despite aforementioned weaknesses of the small book, one would still recommend its purchase, especially if one cannot afford to spend considerably more for the larger editions. This is just a spectacular book.
June 24, 2022
22 giugno 2022: giornata mondiale della foresta pluviale.
In un volume intitolato "Amazônia" (Taschen, 2021), il fotografo brasiliano Sebastião Salgado offre un tributo alla sua terra, in bianchi e neri con soggetti umani e ambientali.
Salgado è noto per aver raccontato con le sue fotografie la povertà, gli effetti deleteri dell’economia di mercato nei Paesi in via di sviluppo, la lotta dei lavoratori in nome dei loro diritti.
Il viaggio nell’Amazzonia brasiliana è durato sei anni e gli scatti esaltano il patrimonio naturale tra foreste, fiumi e montagne. Salgado ritrae anche le tribù indigene, immergendosi nella loro quotidianità, costituita da riti, momenti di condivisione, intensi legami comunitari e con l’ambiente.
Il fotografo scrive nella prefazione: «Per me questa è l’ultima frontiera, un misterioso universo a se stante, in cui l’immenso potere della natura si percepisce come in nessun altro luogo terrestre. Questa foresta sconfinata ospita un decimo di tutte le specie vegetali e animali esistenti, è il laboratorio naturale più grande del pianeta.» L’auspicio di Salgado è che la sua testimonianza, tra cinquant’anni, non sia quella di un mondo perduto.
In un volume intitolato "Amazônia" (Taschen, 2021), il fotografo brasiliano Sebastião Salgado offre un tributo alla sua terra, in bianchi e neri con soggetti umani e ambientali.
Salgado è noto per aver raccontato con le sue fotografie la povertà, gli effetti deleteri dell’economia di mercato nei Paesi in via di sviluppo, la lotta dei lavoratori in nome dei loro diritti.
Il viaggio nell’Amazzonia brasiliana è durato sei anni e gli scatti esaltano il patrimonio naturale tra foreste, fiumi e montagne. Salgado ritrae anche le tribù indigene, immergendosi nella loro quotidianità, costituita da riti, momenti di condivisione, intensi legami comunitari e con l’ambiente.
Il fotografo scrive nella prefazione: «Per me questa è l’ultima frontiera, un misterioso universo a se stante, in cui l’immenso potere della natura si percepisce come in nessun altro luogo terrestre. Questa foresta sconfinata ospita un decimo di tutte le specie vegetali e animali esistenti, è il laboratorio naturale più grande del pianeta.» L’auspicio di Salgado è che la sua testimonianza, tra cinquant’anni, non sia quella di un mondo perduto.
February 28, 2024
I’ve always been a fan of Sebastião Salgado. Not because he’s a fellow Brazilian, but because his art can convey both strength and sensibility.
His notorious black and white photographs leave nothing unseen by our eyes. In this book, I clearly saw the beautiful colors of the Amazon rainforest, its rivers and the many indigenous tribes, because Salgado captures the essence of his subjects.
I bought this book by accident when walking the streets of Brussels after escaping the rain, I saw a Taschen store and this book was the first one I saw upon stepping inside. I wish I had room in my suitcase to buy a larger print.
Sebastião Salgado is a genius, one of the best photographers of all time, a man who loved the Earth so much that he decided to record it grandeur in the most simplistic way possible.
His notorious black and white photographs leave nothing unseen by our eyes. In this book, I clearly saw the beautiful colors of the Amazon rainforest, its rivers and the many indigenous tribes, because Salgado captures the essence of his subjects.
I bought this book by accident when walking the streets of Brussels after escaping the rain, I saw a Taschen store and this book was the first one I saw upon stepping inside. I wish I had room in my suitcase to buy a larger print.
Sebastião Salgado is a genius, one of the best photographers of all time, a man who loved the Earth so much that he decided to record it grandeur in the most simplistic way possible.
January 5, 2022
This black and white journey through the Amazon region, its terrain, its rivers, its forests, and its peoples is so deep that it has drenched me with awe and emotions at each page. The descriptions of the pictures remit us to a universe in full of richness and endangered by human greed. I have gone through the book several times enthralled by the beauty and emotion of the images. Wow!
January 23, 2022
Superb.
By far, the best Salgado's work on indigenous people of South America (Brazil) so far. Such a vast improvement from his earlier work in so many ways. Descriptions are very helpful, quite transparent and more objective, which reduces unnecessary romanticism of indigenous people.
Also, finally landscape format! No double spreads - such a top quality viewing experience.
By far, the best Salgado's work on indigenous people of South America (Brazil) so far. Such a vast improvement from his earlier work in so many ways. Descriptions are very helpful, quite transparent and more objective, which reduces unnecessary romanticism of indigenous people.
Also, finally landscape format! No double spreads - such a top quality viewing experience.
August 23, 2025
A small thing that bothered me a bit: all the photo captions are in the back of the book, if you are "reading" the whole book and not randomly browsing pictures you have to go to to the back every time, and it's a heavy book!
I ended up taking pictures of the captions, print those and hold them while "reading" the whole book.
I ended up taking pictures of the captions, print those and hold them while "reading" the whole book.
January 21, 2024
Increíbles fotografías y buenas explicaciones sobre la naturaleza y los indígenas de la selva amazónica.
February 13, 2025
Ehkä vaikuttavin valokuvakirja, jonka olen koskaan lukenut. Tekstiähän näissä Salgadon kirjoissa ei yleensä ole nimeksikään.
September 7, 2025
dos tipos de livro que todo brasileiro deveria ler/ver
October 19, 2025
amazing photography that is delivered with interesting insights about the region and people living there.
October 14, 2024
Sublime photography — makes for a really good coffee table book
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews