Another photography article but WHAT an incredible one. Infinite thanks to Benjamin Grant (via the Daily Mail Online) for sharing these stunning images with the rest of humanity!
Mesmerising Instagram pictures taken from space show iconic worldwide landmarks as they’ve never been seen before
- A photography series, called Daily Overview, has been posting satellite images of Earth’s most iconic landscapes
- Inspired by the ‘overview effect,’ which is the sensation that astronauts experience viewing Earth from space
- Project creator Benjamin Grant begins with a ‘thought experiment’ to find each eye-catching aerial image
- New additions include the blooming tulip fields of Lisse, Netherlands and the medina quarter in Marrakech
This incredible photography series is inspired by what is known as the ‘overview effect’: the sensation that astronauts experience when the view the Earth from space.
New York-based project creator Benjamin Grant starts with what he calls ‘a thought experiment’ and then works to find an eye-catching satellite image on the resulting theme.
Thanks to an official partnership with satellite imaging company Digital Globe, Benjamin is able to zero in on a location to present and post a new photo every single day on his Daily Overview website.
The Spiral Jetty, which is is a counterclockwise coil jutting out from the Great Salt Lake in Utah, USA, makes for a stunning image
The blooming tulip fields in Lisse, Netherlands, offer a stunning sky-high shot – in particular, during the peak bloom season in April
The medina quarter in Marrakech, Morocco is characterised by its winding, maze-like streets, though is hard to identify from the air
The stunning results include aerial views of the 7.8 mile long, circular Nardo Ring test track and the Mad Max-esque Burning Man festival held in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.
Other highlights include the dense urban sprawls of the medina quarter in Marrakech, Morocco, a plane boneyard in Victorville, California and the otherworldly Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant in Seville, Spain
Benjamin explains: ‘Nearly all of the Overviews focus on the places where human activity—for better or for worse—has shaped the landscape of the planet. Each one starts with a thought experiment.
‘I consider the places where man has left his mark on the planet and then conduct the necessary research to identify locations (and the corresponding geo-coordinates) to convey that idea.
‘A number of themes have now developed for example transportation, agriculture, energy, so I often use those buckets to help generate new ideas as I search for new places to capture.
‘Our project was inspired, and derives its name, from an idea known as the Overview Effect. This term refers to the sensation astronauts have when given the opportunity to look down and view the Earth as a whole.’
The impressive image of radiating streets is taken at Plaza Del Ejecutivo in the Venustiano Carranza district of Mexico City
Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, resembles the design of an aeroplane when photographed from above
The otherworldly Mount Whaleback Ire Ore Mine, located in Western Australia, boasts a kaleidoscope of colours from the air
The roads crossing along the Stelvio Pass, a road in Northern Italy, are the highest paved routes in the Eastern Alps
At the Huelva Orchard in Spain, fruit trees create a swirl-like pattern on the hills in the ideal temperate climate
The Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park gets is vivid colour from pigmented bacteria that grow along its edges
The town of Bourtange, Netherlands – shaped like a star – makes for an incredible satellite image on the Daily Overview
The Gamasolar Thermosolar Plant in Seville, Spain uses 2,650 mirrors to focus the sun’s thermal energy – and looks like an optical illusion from the air
Aluminum toxic waste gathers in the collection pond of a plant in Darrow, Louisiana, though the red mud generated makes for a stunning shot
The social media account also includes an image of the Great Pyramids of Giza, located on the outskirts of Cairo in Egypt
Niagara Falls, which straddle the border between Ontario and the United States, make for a majestic satellite shot
During the Burning Man festival, which is held in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, USA, participants can be seen as a semi-circle
The Nardo Ring is a high-speed circular test track in Italy and photographs like a contained circle from the sky
‘They have the chance to appreciate our home in its entirety, to reflect on its beauty and its fragility all at once. That’s the cognitive shift that we hope to inspire,’ Benjamin adds.
‘From our line of sight on the earth’s surface, it’s impossible to fully appreciate the beauty and intricacy of the things we’ve constructed, the sheer complexity of the systems we’ve developed, or the devastating impact that we’ve had on our planet.
‘We believe that beholding these forces as they shape our Earth is necessary to make progress in understanding who we are as a species, and what is needed to sustain a safe and healthy planet.
‘As a result, the Overviews (what we call these images) focus on the the places and moments where human activity—for better or for worse—has shaped the landscape.
Each Overview starts with a thought experiment. We consider the places where man has left his mark on the planet and then conduct the necessary research to identify locations (and the corresponding geo-coordinates) to convey that idea.
‘The mesmerising flatness seen from this vantage point, the surprising comfort of systematic organisation on a massive scale, or the vibrant colours that we capture will hopefully turn your head.
‘However, once we have that attention, we hope you will go beyond the aesthetics, contemplate just exactly what it is that you’re seeing, and consider what that means for our planet.’
And, so far, the response to the images has been overwhelming.
Today, the account has amassed over 40,000 followers and Benjamin even sells some of his more popular images as large prints on his website.
An olive tree plantation covers the hills of Curdoba, Spain, and from the air looks more like dots among a field. 90 per cent of all harvested olives will be turned into oil
The Example DIstrict in Barcelona, Spain, is characterised by its strict grid pattern and apartments with communal courtyards
Venice, Italy is fascinating to observe from above, with its canals, bridges and 78 giant steel gates across the three inlets
The canal system of Amsterdam makes for an intriguing subject – all a result of conscious urban planning
Benjamin Grant’s Instagram account, Daily Overview, posts images – taken from space – depicting man’s impact on civilisation. This picture shows Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia
The Moab Potash Ponds in Utah is a stunning example of vibrant colour contrast between the bright blue water and salt
In Norfolk, Virginia, Lamberts Point Pier 6 is the largest coal-landing station in the Northern Hemisphere
Central Park in New York City spans 843 acres, which accounts for six per cent of the island of Manhattan
The Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville, California, has a large boneyard of over 150 retired planes
The neighbourhoods of Sntosh Park and Uttam Nagar in India are some of the most built-up and densely populated
Cargo ships and tankers are pictured waiting outside the entry to the Port of Singapore – the world’s second-busiest port
A whirlpool interchange, which was first built in 2006, connects three major roads by the Miracle Garden in Dubai, UAE
Located at the centre of 12 radiating avenues in Paris, France, construction of the Arc de Triomphe took nearly 30 years to complete
Check out Benjamin’s website for the full beauty of the Overview Effect. This is what he says about it:-
Our project was inspired, and derives its name, from an idea known as the Overview Effect. This term refers to the sensation astronauts have when given the opportunity to look down and view the Earth as a whole. They have the chance to appreciate our home in its entirety, to reflect on its beauty and its fragility all at once. That’s the cognitive shift that we hope to inspire.
From our line of sight on the earth’s surface, it’s impossible to fully appreciate the beauty and intricacy of the things we’ve constructed, the sheer complexity of the systems we’ve developed, or the devastating impact that we’ve had on our planet. We believe that beholding these forces as they shape our Earth is necessary to make progress in understanding who we are as a species, and what is needed to sustain a safe and healthy planet.
As a result, the Overviews (what we call these images) focus on the places and moments where human activity—for better or for worse—has shaped the landscape. Each Overview starts with a thought experiment. We consider the places where man has left his mark on the planet and then conduct the necessary research to identify locations (and the corresponding geo-coordinates) to convey that idea.
The mesmerizing flatness seen from this vantage point, the surprising comfort of systematic organization on a massive scale, or the vibrant colors that we capture will hopefully turn your head. However, once we have that attention, we hope you will go beyond the aesthetics, contemplate just exactly what it is that you’re seeing, and consider what that means for our planet.
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