Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a French photographer, journalist, and environmentalist who founded the Altitude Agency in 1991, the world's first press agency specializing in aerial photography. In 1994, he started a study on the state of the Earth for UNESCO where he took aerial photographs of the world's most beautiful landscapes from helicopters and hot air balloons. His book "Earth from Above" sold over 3 million copies and was translated into 24 languages. In 2000, his free exhibition of large posters from the book was displayed in parks in Paris and then traveled to over 110 cities worldwide where it was seen by 120 million people.