Yann Arthus Bertrand Charlevoix Quebec Canada

Today we’re taking a peak in the field of aerial photography, a type of photography that has its roots in France’s 1858 when balloonist Gaspard-Félix Tournachon practiced it over Paris. Although its uses extend over cartography, land marking and artistic projects, we’re just going to stick to its environmental use.

Does any of these pictures look familiar? Well, its most probable that you’ve seen them around National Geographic or, for those with an eye towards the environment in the 2009 movie Home. The author is French photographer and environmentalist Yann Arthus Bertrand and the pictures are part of the project Earth from Above, a collection of aerial photography which tries to express the beauty of our planet.

Yann Arthus Bertrand has been taking large scale photography from balloons and helicopters for five years and has covered six continents. Earth from above is his epic collection of wandering around the world and capturing what is most expressive. His work is astonishing and has been exhibited all over the world and has been released in the form of a book and a DVD. Now that’s what I call environmental art. Enjoy!

Yann Arthus Bertrand Coal Mine South Africa

Yann Arthus Bertrand Iraqi Tank Graveyard

Yann Arthus Bertrand Jaipur India

Yann Arthus Bertrand Korhogo Ivory Coast

Yann Arthus Bertrand Los Angeles Freeway

Yann Arthus Bertrand Military Cemetery Verdun France

Yann Arthus Bertrand Mountains

Yann Arthus Bertrand New Caledonia France

Yann Arthus Bertrand Nile Valley Egypt

Yann Arthus Bertrand Pigeon Houses Egypt

Yann Arthus Bertrand Shali Egypt

Yann Arthus Bertrand Iceland Mountains Coutryside

Yann Arthus Bertrand Adelie Land Antarctica

Yann Arthus Bertrand Fraser Island Dune Australia

Photo credit: Yann Arthus Bertrand.