Looking for a slam-dunk holiday gift… PLUS an exhilarating perspective on the new year? One man can offer you both, the now-legendary French artist Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who has brought to photography what Winged Migration and March of the Penguins brought to film. You may have heard of Bertrand's monumental coffee table book, Earth From Above, which documents from a bird's eye view the spectacular design of the planet’s natural systems – from estuaries and watersheds to archipelagos and deserts.

Now, Bertrand's sweeping vistas can be viewed online. Bertrand has also published a version of Earth From Above for young readers, and one titled 366 days that shows not just the beauty of natural systems, but the harrowing effect humanity is having on them, presenting the visual thesis that “the present levels and methods of consumption, production and exploitation of resources are not viable in the long term.”

Bertrand is now working with the World Wildlife Fund on the Longchamp Project, which aims to educate the public on sustainable development.

Image credit:YannArthusBertrand.com