Sebastião Salgado to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Salgado fans. Speculation had been rife that creator of the Genesis project is about to announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 82, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 01/08/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a photographer isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a photographer just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouSebastião

For a little while on Friday evening, #ThankYouSebastião was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Sebastião Salgado was unlike any other photographer we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouSebastião”
— @universalObserver, 31 Jul 2026

“I thought Sebastião Salgado retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 31 Jul 2026

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