Freshwater: The View from Above and the Life Below

From the bestselling author and photographer of Earth from Above comes Freshwater, a stunning photography book that unveils the secrets of an invisible world, where every freshwater river, lake, and stream has a story to tell.

Earth from Above author and photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand is back with another heartfelt call to save our planet—only this time, he is raising awareness for the freshwater that makes up a large amount of Earth’s surface.

With biophysicist, naturalist, and writer Bill François working alongside him, the duo explore the world through the lens of our freshwater systems, a fundamental yet largely overlooked element essential for life on Earth.

Filled with Arthus-Bertrand’s classic aerial photography, Freshwater traces freshwater from its creation at the high mountain tops of ice-cold glaciers to its flow through Mexican cenotes, Balkan caves, the American Great Lakes, the Parisian Seine, and more.

This gorgeous coffee table book not only shows off Earth’s beauty, but also explores how we are destroying it—and how, through sustainable, global action, we can bring back the biodiversity in our waterways, allowing plant, animal, and human life to flourish.

• Authors: Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Bill François
• 256 pages
• Full-color illustrations throughout
• Released: June 2026
• Size: W 9.3 x H 12.1 x D 1.2 in
• Hardcover
• ISBN: 9781419787676
• 4 lb

About the Authors

Yann Arthus-Bertrand is the author of more than 60 books, including Earth From Above, which has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide since it was published in 1999. He created the GoodPlanet Foundation in 2005 and is a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador.

Bill François is a physicist and naturalist who has always been fascinated by aquatic life. After earning a PhD in fish hydrodynamics at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, he turned to writing and public speaking to highlight the importance of protecting our waters.