Monsters beneath our feet

Since ancient times, humans have been unable to shake off the habit of inventing mythological creatures, terrifying monsters, and behemoths possessing supernatural powers. Looking at the stars and clouds, they saw shapes that, over the centuries, their accommodating imagination transformed into the silhouettes of wondrous beings that later became the heroes of myths and fairy tales.





Today, thanks to Google Earth satellite imagery, we replicate the habits of our ancestors with one exception: our gaze is now directed not to the heavens, but to our home planet. An example of such visual exploration is the project Ultradistancia ("Ultra Distance") by Argentine photographer Frederico Wiener.

Using the "divine" vision of Google Earth, Wiener searches for the silhouettes of monsters (and other intriguing things) in the landscapes of planet Earth. He carefully examines the outlines of ports and peninsulas, the borders of countries and cities, to prove the existence of the most incredible creatures. Some forms are deliberately assembled into a single image by Frederick, while others are simply a happy coincidence.



Port of Avellaneda, Argentina

Kimberly, Wisconsin, USA



Punta del Este, Uruguay



Taipei, Taiwan



A Coruña Park, Galicia, Spain



Doha, Qatar



Drigge, Germany



Bandar Khomeini Iran



Mumbai, India



Denholm, Germany



Neenah, Wisconsin, USA



Wisconsin, USA



Amusement Park La Ronde, Montreal, Canada



Chicago, Illinois, USA