One of the most famous contemporary photographers, he’s known mainly for his aerial images, but his repertoire is much vaster. Beginning in the ‘90s, for almost 20 years now, Yann Arthus-Bertrand has been fascinated by the relationship between breeders and their animals. Documenting this special bond hasn’t been simple, however: inspired by a visit to the International Paris Agriculture Show, Yann Arthus-Bertrand asked for and obtained permission to involve several breeders who were initially sceptical about having their portraits taken with their animals. But the moving result is called Bestiaux: an “inventory” of over 1,000 different animals and breeders from all over the world.
Despite the fact that the key to this work is the relationship between humans and animals, the initial idea for the project didn’t foresee any human presence as the “boss” of the beasts. But after his first shots, the need to illustrate this pairing: without their owners, the animals looked too alone in front of the camera’s lens, almost as if they were seeking out their own breeders to give them back their lost pride.
The best images have been gathered together in a photographic collection that, in part, is featured in today’s photo gallery shown above: it’s a way for all of us to re-consider what we eat and the daily stories, events and relationships that bring food to our table.