The world is a wondrous mystery posing endless questions about nature and the nature of existence. There is a pied beauty characteristic of the earth even from high above the ground, a beauty that has fired the imagination of photographers like Yann Arthus-Bertrand (b. 1946) whose traveling exhibition “Earth from Above” focused on showing all manner of landscapes from the air – rift valleys, volcanos, glaciers, icebergs, savannas, forests and the footprints of human habitation. Working with the visual language of artists, Arthus-Bertrand plays with the elements of light, color, texture, and design to portray the earth few of us ever have the chance to see. His photos capture not just landscapes; most of them involve people or signs of people which are interwoven one way or another into the landscape.

“Earth from Above” (All photos credited to Yann Arthus-Betrand)