Sebastião Salgado Highest-Paid Photographer in the World

It's been a rough year for the photographer, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 82-year-old Sebastião Salgado has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid photographers for 2026 with an estimated $75 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 24/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Sebastião Salgado tops annual list of highest-paid photographers

In 2023 it looked like the photographer’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (March 23) that Salgado is the highest-paid photographer in the world, pulling in an astonishing $75 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $40 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Brazilian photographer has an estimated net worth of $215 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Salgado Burger” chain) in Brasília, a Football Team (the “Aimorés Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondersalgado - Brazil), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Sebastião) and a fashion line called “Sebastião Salgado Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Sebastião fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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