Niche is everything, or so they say. Edward Burtynsky, Canadian photographer of man-made and natural systems, has turned his lens to water, revealing its sources, its destinations and what happens when humans put it to use. Burtynsky is known for his large format photographs of industrial landscapes. His work is housed in more than 50 museums, including New York City’s Guggenheim.

More and more, we become totally disconnected from nature. What we do to the landscape is a very sobering moment for Burtynsky. He decided to capture the landscape that we humans transformed. He’s after the largest industrial incursions in landscape — and that became the baseline of his photography and the theme of his life’s work.

First a The Economist video on his water photography, then a more general TED Talk on what drives this most gifted photographer:

Sustainable photography, anyone? Burtynsky’s TED Talk on Manufactured Landscapes and Green Education is certainly worth to spend some time with: