Rubén Salgado Escudero is an award-winning photographer and visual storyteller whose work bridges art, technology, and social impact. Born in Madrid, Spain, and raised in the United States, Rubén graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design before spending a decade in Berlin, Germany, as lead 3D animator in the video game industry. In 2013, he launched Solar Portraits, a project documenting off-grid communities gaining access to solar energy. Supported by the United Nations and a National Geographic Society Explorer’s Grant, the series has been featured alongside his other works in National Geographic Magazine, TIME, The New York Times, and GEO. In 2021, Solar Portraits became part of the National Geographic Traveling Exhibitions catalog.

Rubén has collaborated with leading humanitarian organizations, including the European Union, UNHCR, UNESCO, and Islamic Relief, using his photography to spotlight critical global issues. His other editorial clients include The Guardian, El País Semanal, Spiegel, The Wall Street Journal, and Al Jazeera-America, among many others.

With a career spanning over 40 exhibitions worldwide, Rubén’s work has been showcased in cities such as New York, London, and Tokyo, as well as at Les Rencontres d'Arles in France. A member of The Photo Society, Rubén has received numerous accolades, including two Sony World Photography Awards and recognition from POY Latam (Picture of the Year).

An accomplished speaker, Rubén has delivered a TEDx Talk in Beijing and continues to inspire audiences globally through lectures for National Geographic Learning and institutions such as Museo Soumaya in Mexico City and the Sony Gallery in New York.