Sergio Larraín Echeñique (1931–2012) was a Chilean photographer renowned for his poetic and experimental approach to documentary photography. Born in Santiago, he moved to the United States to study at the University of California, Berkeley, before returning to Chile. He joined Magnum Photos as an associate in 1959 and became a full member in 1961. Larraín is celebrated for his intimate depictions of his homeland, particularly the Chilean seaport of Valparaíso, which he photographed extensively during the 1960s, often in collaboration with poet Pablo Neruda. His work is characterized by vertical frames, low angles, and a humanistic instinct that captured both the 'sordid' and 'romantic' aspects of daily life. In his later years, his affinity for Buddhist philosophy led him to a reclusive life of meditation, eventually disengaging from professional photography.[1,2,7,8]
