Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Photographer, Filmmaker, Activist, Environmentalist


Born in 1946, Yann Arthus-Bertrand has been interested in the wilderness and animal world throughout his lifetime. Using a camera, he started to create a record of his observations and eventually discover his gift: testifying through images. In 1991 Arthus-Bertrand became a photojournalist and founded Altitude, the leading aerial photography agency in the world. Inspired by the link between humankind, wildlife and nature, he partnered with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to focus his vocation on a long-term documentary photography series: The Earth From Above, Wild Animals, Horses, and 365 Days.

 

As an activist convinced of the importance of sustainable development, his aerial photographs and accompanying texts request each and every individual to take note that we are all personally responsible for the future of our planet. To this end, with the Earth From Above series book release, Arthus-Bertrand saw the need to broadcast this call-to-action through a large-scale public art exhibition of this testimony. Premiering in Paris in 2000 to unprecedented success, the exhibition soon traveled to cities around the world to reach over 130 million visitors across every populated continent by 2008. The book would eventually sell millions of copies in over 21 languages.

 

By 2005, Arthus-Bertrand created the association GoodPlanet. This international NGO develops numerous projects whose shared objective is to educate about sustainable development and request individuals across every background, culture and border to think beyond the development of our planet and, instead, toward the future of all of its inhabitants.

 

Earth From Above, a 4-episode, 8-hour TV series then launched in 2007 and renewed for 2008, prompting Arthus-Bertrand to begin filming of Home, a documentary-style feature film about the state of our planet and challenges facing us to protect it. Its simultaneous worldwide release is scheduled for June 5th, 2009 - World Environment Day.

 

Arthus-Bertrand was a member of the Academy of Fine Arts of the Institute of France in 2006. He is a knight of the Legion of Honour, an Officer of the Order of Agricultural Merit, and an Officer of the National Order of Merit. In 2007, Arthus-Bertrand helped Al Gore present his Academy Award-winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, to the French Parliament.

 

As an artist, documentarian and advocate, Yann Arthus-Bertrand demonstrates the power of images to convey universal emotion, understanding and shared appreciation for our planet and its inhabitants. For this reason, he is recognized worldwide as one of the most important and respected environmentalists of our time.

 

Yann's personal website: ›› www.yannarthusbertrand.org
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Yann's Projects

Home the Movie

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Yann's Projects

Earth From Above TV Series

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Yann's Projects

6 Billion Others

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