The year 2025 marked the passing of several influential photographers whose work helped shape our visual understanding of the world. These artists documented social realities, environmental crises, fashion, culture, and everyday life with distinctive perspectives that continue to resonate. Their collective legacy spans documentary photography, commercial work, and scientific documentation. From Magnum Photos veterans to fashion industry innovators, each brought unique vision to their craft. This remembrance honors their contributions and lasting impact on visual culture across multiple generations.
Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado, who died in May at age 81, created powerful black-and-white images examining labor, migration, conflict, and environmental degradation. Trained as an economist before turning to photography in the 1970s, Salgado brought analytical depth to his epic-scale projects. His major works, including "Workers," "Migrations," and "Genesis," combined moral urgency with artistic mastery. A longtime Magnum Photos member, he visited at least 120 countries despite health challenges from malaria contracted in Indonesia and injuries from a 1974 landmine explosion in Mozambique. His photographs transformed documentary photography into a tool for global awareness and social change.
British photographer Martin Parr, who passed away in December at age 73, turned ordinary life into extraordinary visual commentary through his unsparing yet humorous depictions of leisure and consumerism. His use of color, flash, and irony challenged traditional documentary conventions while he served as Magnum Photos president. Italian photographer Oliviero Toscani died in January at age 83 from amyloidosis, a rare disease affecting vital organs. As Benetton's art director during the 1980s and 1990s, he created provocative campaigns addressing racism, war, religion, AIDS, and capital punishment. His work blurred commercial and political messaging, forcing global audiences to confront uncomfortable realities.
Dr. Jane Goodall, the renowned primatologist who died in October at age 91, used photography as a crucial scientific tool to document chimpanzee behavior and emotional complexity. Her field research photographs provided visual evidence that transformed public understanding of primates as sentient beings with personalities and social bonds. Italian photographer Berengo Gardin, who passed away in August at age 95, documented post-war Italian society in over 250 books. Often compared to Henri Cartier-Bresson, Gardin called himself a "witness of my era" and idolized the French street photography master, bringing poetic documentation to everyday Italian life.
Michele Singer Reiner, who died tragically earlier this month at age 70, was a talented photographer whose work reached millions despite being overshadowed by her husband Rob Reiner's fame. Her memorable behind-the-scenes photographs from the 1990 film "Misery" perfectly captured Kathy Bates's terrifying character. Director David Lynch, who died in June at age 79, influenced photography profoundly despite not being primarily a photographer. His cinematic vision inspired photographers like Gregory Crewdson and Todd Hido, who cited Lynch's work as transformative to their artistic development. Lynch's own heroes included Diane Arbus and William Eggleston, creating a lineage of visual influence.
These seven visionaries demonstrated photography's power to document, persuade, and inspire across diverse fields and styles. Their work continues to influence contemporary photographers, filmmakers, and visual artists worldwide. From Salgado's epic social documentation to Parr's ironic consumerism commentary, Toscani's political advertising, Goodall's scientific storytelling, Gardin's poetic witness, Reiner's cinematic behind-the-scenes work, and Lynch's atmospheric inspiration, each expanded photography's possibilities. Their passing creates a void in visual culture, but their images ensure their perspectives remain vital and influential for future generations.
