I admire Sebastiao Salgado's work. Does anybody know which lenses he uses? I would also appreciate learning about sources of information about Salgado. Thanks.

-- Jenny (jreynold@una.ac.cr), March 10, 1998

Answers

Sebastico Salgado

Jenny: Here in in Brazil we're so proud to have a Brasilian Photografer known woldwide. Last year, on a interview TV program he said: "I usually do my photos with a Leica (M6?) and use Kodak Tri-X film and T-Max 3200". Our popular singer Chico Buarque de Holanda compose a CD with some songs specially sold with the last Salgado's work.

-- Mauricio M. Falcco (mmfalcao@convoy.com.br), March 12, 1998.

I'm fairly sure he uses a Leica R-series SLR. He is, I believe, one of the few high-profile photojournalists actively using Leica R's. As for focal length, I think he uses 35mm and 85mm fixed focal length lenses, and possibly a 50mm.

-- Mason Resnick (mresnick@idt.net), March 12, 1998.

In the "Terra" book on the Brazilian landless, he says that the work was done with Tri-X and T-Max shot with Leica M and R cameras. If he's like most photojournalists using the M6, he probably uses the Ms for 80-90% of his work, and the R cameras only in situations that demand it, such as long tele work.

I believe he uses mostly 35/50/90 lenses. Most of his shots look like the 35 and 50 to me. In the Leica M6 .85 brochure, he does a testimonial for the M6 and 50mm F2 Summicron saying that he does "much" of his work with this simple setup.

-- Jim Laurel (jplaurel@microsoft.com), March 19, 1998.

I have a documentary video made about Salgado several years ago. In this film he produces from his camera bag the equipment he uses: Two Leica Rs - one fitted with a 28mm f2.8 lens and the other with a 60mm mmcro. His third camera is a Leica M6 fitted with a 35mm lens. He states that he also carries a 80-200 zoom, but uses it only in about 2% of his images. So, three cameras and three lenses.

-- David Bathgate (DBathgate@csi.com), July 07, 1999.