Table of Contents (Look): Feed the Planet
Have you heard of George Steinmetz, the flying photographer? If you have and you love his work then high-five because he's brilliant! If not, keep reading.
George Steinmetz is an exploration photographer. A regular contributor to National Geographic and GEO magazine, it was through a story he did for Nat Geo that I first began following his work, a few years ago. And honestly I can't decide which is more brilliant, his technique or the photographs that it produces.
Steinmetz's specialty is that he takes these breathtaking areal shots of various landscapes, creating photographs that no drone ever can. And he does this by being the drone himself! Using a motorised para-glider, he flies between 100-500 feet above ground, enjoying a view that spans 180 degrees horizontally and vertically! This gives him a vantage point to frame shots in a way that no drone will ever allow.
So why am I talking about this flying photographer in my segment about food media and content? Because of a photo project that has changed the way I look (quite literally) at global food production.
On this Instagram page, Steinmetz shares photographs (which have also featured in photo essays and stories across various publications over the years) of industrial, artisanal, modern and traditional food production processes that are taking place around the world... but from his aerial vantage point.
(Click on the image to see it in Instagram for the full caption. And trust me, you want to read the captions!)
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And then, there's sudden awareness of the sheer scale of commercial food production!
I've read about how extensive commercial agriculture and food production can be but it always remained ambiguous in my mind; I couldn't really grasp the scale. Until I saw these photos.
And if each of these photos show one section of the production of one food product, in one part of the world, think about how much food production is underway when all of it is combined... And then imagine if we have to DOUBLE food production to feed 9 billion by 2050!!
Marvelous, isn't it?
A lot of discussions about food production today try to take a strong stand and tell the reader/listener/viewer what side to take: organic is good, chemical is bad; multi cropping is good, mono culture is bad; and so on. I admit, even I try to do this when I am writing! But discussions don't always have to be about what is good and bad; they can also just be about what is. Which is another aspect of Steinmetz's style I really enjoy: he presents what he sees, as he sees it.
Beautiful, surreal and larger than life, and at the same time a reality check. This photo-project has shown me food production like I never imagined it before. And I hope that it will give you new ways to look at the food you eat, too!
You could also visit his main Instagram account @GeoSteinmetz or his website georgesteinmetz.com to see his other work.
And to know all about his experimental aircraft (a "flying lawn chair", as he describes it) read the "Flying" section on his website. I loved this bit - it answered a lot of the questions I had about how he flies to shoot.
Ps. When I wrote to him to ask if I could share his photos on the blog, he replied in just a few hours. Isn't it the best when people you admire are approachable and responsive! Thank you, Mr. Steinmetz.
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Today the world consumes food content almost as much as we consume food itself. Whether we're wolfing down those #foodporn pictures on Instagram or slurping up the newest episode of Chef's Table, we have to admit, food itself must now share table space with food content.
Table of Contents is a periodic update on my favourite food content and media.
What:
In 2016 Steinmetz announced on his Instagram page that he has created a second account, @FeedThePlanet. This second account would specifically reflect his ongoing work photographing global food production systems and the challenges of feeding the rapidly growing global population, which is estimated to be 9 billion by 2050.On this Instagram page, Steinmetz shares photographs (which have also featured in photo essays and stories across various publications over the years) of industrial, artisanal, modern and traditional food production processes that are taking place around the world... but from his aerial vantage point.
Why I love it:
When you see something from that far up, at first all you see are colours, shapes and patterns, almost like a work of abstract art! Often I can't even guess what the photograph is capturing until I read the caption.(Click on the image to see it in Instagram for the full caption. And trust me, you want to read the captions!)
XXXXXX
And then, there's sudden awareness of the sheer scale of commercial food production!
I've read about how extensive commercial agriculture and food production can be but it always remained ambiguous in my mind; I couldn't really grasp the scale. Until I saw these photos.
And if each of these photos show one section of the production of one food product, in one part of the world, think about how much food production is underway when all of it is combined... And then imagine if we have to DOUBLE food production to feed 9 billion by 2050!!
Marvelous, isn't it?
A lot of discussions about food production today try to take a strong stand and tell the reader/listener/viewer what side to take: organic is good, chemical is bad; multi cropping is good, mono culture is bad; and so on. I admit, even I try to do this when I am writing! But discussions don't always have to be about what is good and bad; they can also just be about what is. Which is another aspect of Steinmetz's style I really enjoy: he presents what he sees, as he sees it.
Beautiful, surreal and larger than life, and at the same time a reality check. This photo-project has shown me food production like I never imagined it before. And I hope that it will give you new ways to look at the food you eat, too!
Where:
Feast your eyes on more mind boggling visuals of global food production by visiting the @FeedThePlanet page on Instagram.You could also visit his main Instagram account @GeoSteinmetz or his website georgesteinmetz.com to see his other work.
And to know all about his experimental aircraft (a "flying lawn chair", as he describes it) read the "Flying" section on his website. I loved this bit - it answered a lot of the questions I had about how he flies to shoot.
Ps. When I wrote to him to ask if I could share his photos on the blog, he replied in just a few hours. Isn't it the best when people you admire are approachable and responsive! Thank you, Mr. Steinmetz.
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Table of Contents is a periodic update on my favourite food content and media.
WOW amazing photographs, like art works or quilts. I loved this post of yours Shivu :) <3
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