Eye-Opening Landscape Photos Explore the Environmental Cost of Human Impact

Daniel Beltr is globally recognized for his stunning aerial landscape photography. Though remarkable, his expansive shots aim to communicate more than just the inherent beauty of the land, instead seeking to expose the fragility of our ecosystem and the transformations that are occurring for the sake of human expansion. His artistic perspective simultaneously captures the majestic scale of our beautiful planet while revealing the substantial impacts that we have on the land and our dwindling resources.

Typically perched high within a helicopter, Beltr makes use of his vantage point to explore breathtaking landscapes across each of the seven continents, from Iceland and Brazil to the North Pole. Drawn to the complexity of remote areas which don't immediately seem impacted by urban sprawl, Beltr's shots still manage to record how we are actively destroying environments across the planet. Recently, he spent two months photographing the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill, which he then composed in a book entitled SPILL. His images expose the horrific tragedy of this man-made disaster, yet are stunning enough that without context, just seem like impressively staged photographs.

Beltr's work has been exhibited around the globe in several prominent museums and galleries. His work is an artistic response to the rapidly changing environment, pointing to the precarious balance between business expansion and protection of the natural space. From oil spills to rainforest destruction, Beltr's signature aerial shots explore the prominence of human-made environmental stresses and unsustainable developmental practices, from a unique and creative perspective.

Above: Southern Ocean –February 8th, 2007