A View from Above (10 photos)

Photographer Edward Bartynski has always been interested in the impact of humans on nature, and he has dedicated over 20 years to documenting this subject. All of his work depicts the retreat of pristine nature under the onslaught of humankind. In this collection, you'll see images of dry-fed fields in Spain, taken from a helicopter.

(All photos in this collection are clickable and can be used as desktop wallpaper)







1. Dry-fed fields in Aragon, Monegros province, Spain, from an altitude of approximately 600 meters. 2010. (Edward Burtynsky)

2. Dryland fields are lands where crops are grown without artificial irrigation. (Edward Burtynsky)



3. According to the photographer: These shapes and shades are unlike anything I've seen before and are reminiscent of 20th-century abstract paintings. (Edward Burtynsky)



4. The series of photographs, some of which are presented in this collection, was taken in 2010 and is part of a larger project called Water, which Edward began working on in 2008 and plans to complete in 2013. (Edward Burtynsky)



5. Burtynsky says: I like to take a theme and develop it, finding visual correspondences to its ideas. Water is fascinating to photograph, and agriculture is directly related to water, so I couldn't overlook the rainfed fields in the province of Monegros. (Edward Burtynsky)



6. Rainfed fields, which primarily utilize the moisture absorbed by the soil in the spring, typically grow drought-resistant grains, forage crops, and melons. (Edward Burtynsky)



7. Rainfed fields are entirely dependent on nature, as insufficient rainfall can lead to reduced harvests or even nonexistence. (Edward Burtynsky)



8. According to the photographer, the views of the fields reminded him of Pablo Picasso's painting Guernica. (Edward Burtynsky)



9. The series dedicated to dryland farming is currently on display at the Bruce Wolkowitz Gallery in New York. (Edward Burtynsky)