Aerial Photographs of the World's Most Untouched and Beautiful Places
"Edmaier raises the art of aerial photography to new heights." -Natural History Magazine
"The abstract, painterly images show a shrinking national environment that cries out for preservation." -Photo District News
Science meets art in the new book PATTERNS OF THE EARTH by Bernhard Edmaier, a fascinating exploration of the earth's surface by one of the world's top aerial photographers. This compact collection features stunning pictures of natural phenomena such as volcanoes, glaciers, coral reefs, dunes, rivers, craters, canyons and salt flats, revealing the beauty of the dwindling unspoiled areas of our planet.
PATTERNS OF THE EARTH features over 400 color photographs, many previously unpublished, of "off the beaten path" regions such as the Bahamas, Iceland, New Zealand, Ecuador, Greenland, Ethiopia, The Maldives, Canada and Yellowstone National Park and Bryce Canyon in the USA. Grouped in chapters according to pattern, the images make us look at the world in a new way, by showing us surprising similarities and unexpected links between different parts of the globe.
Traveling to uninhabited and remote areas, Edmaier's photographs offer a unique view of these extraordinary locations. He takes his images from as high as 20,000 feet in the air, far higher than most aerial photographers, exposing natural patterns and documenting the geological processes at work. Originally a geologist and engineer before turning to photography, he has a rare gift for catching the aesthetic side of our dynamic earth.
PATTERNS OF THE EARTH quietly acknowledges the effects of global warming. With rising temperatures, areas of permafrost are melting as are some glaciers and ice sheets in Alaska, Canada and Siberia. The book provides amazing photographs of these locations and more, providing a new perspective from above revealing the effects of the natural and human forces that shape our future.
PATTERNS OF THE EARTH is divided into five chapters: Bands, Stripes, Ripples; Circles, Spots, Grains; Forks, Branches, Webs; Curves, Ribbons, Swirls; and Spikes, Grids and Cracks. Each image is accompanied by a brief caption by science writer Dr. Angelika Jung-Huttl, describing the location of the pattern depicted and where and why a variety of these formations occur in nature.
This is Bernhard Edmaier's second book with Phaidon. His first book, EARTHSONG was an oversize collection of his aerial photographs, first published to great acclaim in 2004, followed up by EARTHSONG POSTCARDS.
PATTERNS OF THE EARTH is a fascinating source of inspiration for those working in creative industries as well as environmentalists, scientists, photographers and armchair travelers who marvel at the world around them.
