40 Quotes by Yann Arthus-Bertrand

The key of ‘The Earth from Above,’ and of ‘Home’ is to show the beauty of the planet, and thereby to promote love for it.

The Rio Earth Summit in 1992 changed my life completely, turning me into an activist. From the air, you see things you can’t see from the ground – you really understand the impact of man, even in a place you know well. My work is meant to convince people we can no longer live like this.

Life is like carrying a message from the child you were to the old man you’ll become, without losing it along the way.

I wanted to be a scientist. I did a thesis on lions. But I realised photography can show things writing can’t. Lions were my professor of photography.

After Hurricane Katrina, over New Orleans, my helicopter crashed and the pilot and I were only saved because we fell on the roof of a flooded house that absorbed the shock. When the helicopter was spiraling downward out of control, I didn’t expect to survive at all.

One fifth of human kind depend on fish to live. Today now 70 percent of the fish stock are over-exploited. According to FAO if we don’t change our system of fishing the main sea resources will be gone in 2050. We don’t want to believe what we know.

I’m not an expert when it comes to technology, but what changed things for me was autofocus. I used to have to throw away half my pictures because it was so difficult to get the focus right.

For me, an aerial picture is no different than a close-up portrait. It’s a question of framing and angle. Helicopters are great for that. But I’ve also used planes. Of course, I always have a harness.

An image of the earth, its landscapes, directly affects people. The beauty of the earth creates enormous emotion, and through that emotion, you can transmit knowledge and raise consciousness.