Yann Arthus-Bertrand, a man known for his animal photography was born on 13 March 1946. With his interest in animals and environment, he became the administrator of a nature reserve, at the age of 20 as he settled in France.
As he turned 30, he moved to Kenya with his wife and together carried out a three-year study on a family of lions in the Massaï Mara reserve. He utilized the camera to capture his observations that would help him in making reports. While living in Africa, he worked as a hot-air balloon pilot. His first book, Lions, can be associated with his adventure in Kenya and he says that those lions were his “first photography teachers”. Gradually he became a reporter, dealing with environmental issues and teamed up with National Geographic, Paris Match, Life and Figaro etc.
He commenced his personal work on the relationship between humans and animals, and came up with books like Good breeding and Horses. In 1991, he started an aerial photography firm called Altitude.
He prepared for the First Rio Conference in 1992, with his major work for the year 2000 on the condition of the earth ‘It is The Earth Fom the Air’. The book was a major hit with millions of sales. Later Yann Arthus-Bertrand founded ‘GoodPlanet Foundation‘ with a motto to add to the awareness of the public on environmental issues, and to fight deforestation, by collaborating with local NGOs. He did several other projects in the same organization, involving the masses. Owing to this step, he is considered an environmentalist more than a photographer. It was his dedication to work he became a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN’s Environment Program on the Earth Day on 22 April 2009.
Yann started a TV series called Vu Du Ciel, a documentary dealing with a specific environmental issue. It was aired on a French television and was distributed for a broadcast in more than 45 countries. Motivated by this success, Yann Arthus-Bertrand took on the production of a complete feature film, HOME, highlighting the situation and issues of the planet Earth. The film was released the June 5th, 2009 on all media platforms including, television, Internet and in cinemas, all over the world and absolutely free of any charges. Yann took this venture ahead with two films for the United Nations: Forest and Desertification, in year 2011 and screened them during UN General Assemblies.
In 2011, Yann initiated a non-profit production company “Hope Productions”, for World Water Forum and directed a film covering the historical aspects highlighting the challenge, related to water in current times.
Yann Arthus-Bertrand also directed a film “Planet Ocean” with Michael Pitiot, aiming to support the prominence of an ocean in the ecosystem. In the meantime, the Foundation: GoodPlanet, started a “Ocean Programme”, with the same mission.
All of these the films produced by HOPE are accessible to all NGOs, nonprofits and schools in the framework of environmental education, and all free of cost.
