Rubén Salgado Escudero

Rubén Salgado Escudero is a National Geographic Explorer and an award-winning photographer, who has spent the last decade documenting stories of the human condition. Born in Madrid, Spain, he lived in the United States throughout his childhood and, after university, moved to Germany to work as a 3D animation artist for video games. Over the years, he has contributed various stories to National Geographic magazine and worked for NGOs and relief organizations worldwide, such as UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency. His images have been displayed in major publications across the globe, as well as exhibited in galleries and museums in more than 40 cities. He has received various international awards, including 2 consecutive wins from the Sony World Photography Awards, as well as 2 awards in POY Latam.

In 2013 while living in Myanmar, Rubén began his ongoing project Solar Portraits, which documents solar energy and its human impact in communities around the world. In 2019, the project earned a National Geographic Society Explorer’s Grant, and in 2021, it was inducted into the official National Geographic Exhibitions catalog. He is a regular keynote speaker for National Geographic Learning, where he shares his experiences and insights with students and educators of all ages.

Rubén's work and travels have taken him to over 60 countries—6 of which he has lived in—including México, where he now resides since 2017. Speaking 5 languages, he loves to foster a deeper understanding of different ways of life by sharing knowledge, exploring sociocultural issues and creating meaningful exchanges wherever he works.