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Born on March 13th, 1946, Yann ARTHUS-BERTRAND has always had a passion for nature. From age 17 to 20, he does a brief stint in the cinema, first as assistant director, then as an actor, playing with Michelle Morgan in “Dis-moi qui tu es” among others. In 1967, Yab settles in the centre of France where he is in charge of a nature reserve. At 30, he moves to Kenya with his wife, Anne, in order to study the behaviour of lions in the Massai Mara reserve. Feeling the need to tell the facts through images rather than writing, he then truly becomes a photographer... The experience is at the origin of his first book, Lions (1981), and gives him the opportunity to discover the beauty of the world from the air aboard a hot air balloon.
Upon his return to France, he becomes a photojournalist specialising in adventure, sports and nature. He has covered ten editions of the Paris-Dakar rally, produces each year the Roland Garros yearbook and takes photographs of nature lovers, such as Dian Fossey and her mountain gorillas in Rwanda. In 1989, he decides to gather 100 of the best French photographers and organise "3 days in France" – an event and a book. As his passion for aerial photography develops, his work is recognised internationally and his pictures are published in famed magazine such as Paris-Match, Geo, Life, National Geographic...
1991, he creates ALTITUDE, a visual data bank of aerial views gathering the work of photographers from all parts of the world. 1995, under the patronage of the Ecological Science department of UNESCO, he embarks upon the ambitious project of creating a scientific data bank of the Earth seen from above. This continuing survey of the planet’s ecosystems seen from a new angle still constitutes an important part of his work; it's reflected in exhibitions and publications allowing the public at large to better comprehend sustainable development and what is at stake there. In parallel, Yab carries on with the systematic inventory of house pets and domestic breeds, photographing the animals in the studio or outdoors against a canvas backdrop.
Finally, in 2003, he launches the project “Faces and Landscapes” and sends three cameramen throughout the world to meet the people who live within places photographed from the air.
To discover all of Yann ARTHUS-BERTRAND’s books, go to the Publications section on the Practical Info page. http://www.yannarthusbertrand.com
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