4 Brazilian photographers who portray the Amazon and its diversity

Amazon Day is celebrated this Monday, September 5th, as a way to remember the importance of the forest, which is considered one of the most important biomes in the world . The date was chosen as a tribute to Prince Dom Pedro II, who decreed the creation of the province of Amazonas in 1850. "A giant by nature", the Amazon has an area of 6,700,000 km², and therefore, its preservation is fundamental for the environmental and climatic balance of the entire planet. And this is precisely one of the biggest problems that the forest faces: deforestation. In 2021 alone, deforestation grew by 29% and was the highest in the last 10 years . In addition to its beauty, the Amazon is home to several species of Brazilian flora and fauna; which has attracted Brazilian photographers and directors to dedicate part of their careers to exploring the forest and revealing its beauty to the world . Below, remember (or learn about) ) some of these works:

Sebastian Salgado

One of the most renowned names in Brazilian photography, Sebastião Salgado has always been very concerned with environmental causes, especially the Amazon. He studied the forest and worked for seven years to launch the exhibition " Amazonia ". To carry out this project, Sebastião Salgado spent long periods with twelve isolated indigenous communities, sailing along the Amazon River and its tributaries and flying over the dense tropical forest with its more arid mountainous borders. The exhibition debuted in Paris and then came to Brazil.

Araquem Alcantara

Considered one of the most important photographers who record nature, Araquém Alcântara has already released a book that brings together 22 years of intense research on the Amazon region.

In addition to their beauty, his photographs are also known for denouncing the deforestation of Brazilian forests.

John Farkas

João Farkas is a photographer and philosopher born in São Paulo who dedicated much of his career to recording the country's natural beauty – especially the Pantanal. The Amazon has already benefited from the meticulous gaze of Farkas, who also published a book, Amazônia Ocupada, about his travels in the interior of the region between the 1980s and 1990s.

Claudia Andujar

The image above is part of the photobook "Amazônia" (1978) by photographers Claudia Andujar and George Love . Claudia was born in Switzerland and became a naturalized Brazilian citizen. She dedicated a good part of her career to recording and defending the Yanomami Indian tribe – a people who live in the Amazon rainforest and number more than 20 thousand members . Claudia's work stands out for bringing a more humanized vision of the Amazon and the people who inhabit the region.

Extra: Mara Mourão

Mara Mourão is a Brazilian filmmaker and screenwriter who directed the film "Quem se Importa" (Who Cares). The documentary presents several stories about social entrepreneurship and features prominent interviewees such as Muhammad Yunus (Nobel Peace Prize winner) and Bill Drayton (founder of Ashoka). Filming took place in seven countries and the Amazon was one of the regions covered. " target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can check out the trailer by clicking here !