Sebastião Salgado in Sahel: critical discourse in contemporary photographyPhotographic images have their own language and can convey narratives and discourses. Based on this principle, this article aims to improve understanding of photographic language by presenting analyses and reflections on how certain photographs express beliefs and values associated with Critical Humanist Discourse, as defined in this article. First, the main characteristics of this discourse were defined. Then, ten images from Sebastião Salgado's 1986 book Sahel: The End of the Road were analyzed to confirm whether they can be classified as belonging to this discourse. In this text, we present a thorough analysis of one of the selected images — the one that best exemplifies how photography can express the beliefs and values associated with Critical Humanist Discourse.
Key words
Photography; Critical Humanist Discourse; Sebastião Salgado
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Source: Author: Sebastião Salgado. CHRISTIE’S - 
Source: Author: Sebastião Salgado. CONTRASTO - contrasto.it. Reproduction for academic purposes. Image description for accessibility: Close-up and high-angle documentary photograph by Sebastião Salgado, focusing on a mother's lap as she simultaneously breastfeeds her severely malnourished twin babies. The baby on the left is in profile with a shaved head, while the baby on the right lies on their back. Textured dark fabrics from the mother's clothing and light-colored wraps partially envelop the children's bodies.