- 1982 Eugene Smith Award for Humanitarian Photography , USA.
Award for continuing the project on the Latin American paysants, Ministry of Culture, France.
- 1984 – Prix de la Ville de Paris et Kodak, for a first photographic book, “Other Americas”, France.
- 1985 World Press Photo Award, Holland – Oskar Barnack Prize, for Humanitarian Story, West Germany.
- 1986 Premio de la Foto Ibero Americana, Spain – Photojournalist of the Year Award, The International Center of Photography, USA – Prix du Livre, for “Sahel, l’Homme en Détresse”, Arles International Festival, France – ASMP Award, USA – Two Awards Grand Prix and Prix du Public for the show “Other Americas” from the “Month of Photography“, Paris Audio Visuel, France.
- 1987 Photographer of the Year Award, American Society of Magazine Photography, USA – Olivier Rebbot Award, from Overseas Press Club, USA – Jounalistenpreis Entwicklungspolitik, West Germany Government – Prix Villa Médicis, Ministry of Foreign Affairs , France.
- 1988 Erich Salomon Prize, West Germany – Premio de Fotografía Rey de España, Spain – Photojournalist of the Year Award, International Center of Photography, USA- The Gold Award, Art Directors Club, USA.
- 1989 Erna and Victor Hasselblad Award, for life achievement, Sweden – The Artist of Merit Josef Sudek Medal, Tchecoslovakia.
- 1990 The Maine Photographic Workshop Award for the best Photography Book “An Uncertain Grace, USA – Visa d’Or Award , International Festival of Photojournalism of Perpignan, France.
- 1991 The Common Wealth Award, For Mass Communication, USA – Le Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris, France – The Gold Award, Art Directors Club, USA – The Gold Award, Art Directors Club, USA.
- 1992 Elected Foreign Honorary Member of the “American Academy of Arts and Science”, Massachusetts, USA – Oskar Barnack Prize, Germany – Art Directors Club Award , Germany.
- 1993 Prize for the Best Photography Book of the Year, for “Workers” Arles International Festival, France – Trophée Match d’Or, for life achievement. France – The “World Hunger Year Harry Chapin Media Award“, for photojournalism, for the book “Workers”, USA.
- 1994 Award Publication for the book “Workers”,the International Center of Photography, USA- Award “Centenary Medal” and “Honorary Fellowship”, The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, England – “Professional Photographer of the Year” PMDA Photographic Manufacturers and Distributors Association, USA – Grand Prix National, Ministry of Culture and French-Speaking Countries, France – Award of Excellence, and Silver Award, Society of Newspaper Design, USA.
- 1995 Silver Medal, Art Directors Club, USA – Silver Medal, Art Directors Club, Germany.
- 1996 Award «Overseas Press Club of America», Citation for Excellence, USA – Auszeichnung, Art Directors Club, Germany.
- 1997 Prêmio Nacional de Fotografia, Ministry of Culture, Funarte, Brazil – Prêmio A Luta pela Terra, Personalidade da reforma agrária, Movement of Landless Peasants, Brazil.
- 1998 Silver medal, Art Directors Club, Germany – The 1998 Alfred Eisenstaedt «Life Legend» Award, Life Magazine, USA. – Prêmio Jabuti, for the book «Terra», Brazil.
«Principe de Asturias» Award for Arts, Spain.
- 1999 The 1999 Alfred Eisenstaedt Award for Magazine Photography/ The Way we live. USA. – Prêmio Unesco, category Culture. Brazil.
- 2000 – Medal of “Presidenza della Repubblica Italiana”, International Research Center Pio Manzù, Italy.
- 2001 “Doutor Honoris Causa”, University of Evora, Evora, Portugal – Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts, New School University, New York, USA – Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts, The Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, Boston, USA – Prêmio Muriqui 2000, Conselho Nacional da Reserva da Biosfera da Mata Atlântica, Brazil – UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador – “Ayuda en Accion” prize, Ayuda en Accion NGO, Madrid, Spain.
- 2002 Honorary Doctor of Letters, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom – The Art Directors Club 81st Annual Awards 2002 Merit Award for “The final fight against polio”, USA
- 2003 International Award of The 2003 Photographic Society of Japan’s, Tokyo, Japan.
- 2004 “Comendador da Ordem de Rio Branco”, Brazil.
- 2005 Gold Medal Award for Photography, The National Arts Club, New York, USA.
- 2007 Prix “Michael Horbach Stiftung”. Germany .
- 2008 “Faz Diferença ” prize, Globo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- 2010 “Excellence in the reporting of social issues” Award, The American Sociological Association USA – NANPA Lifetime Achievement Award, The North American Nature Photography Association. USA.