“The Human Face of Big Data” author and veteran photographer Rick Smolan says ‘Big Data’ offers ‘a new dimension of understanding’

Rick Smolan is the author of “The Human Face of Big Data” and Co-founder of the "America 24/7" and "Day in the Life" photography series. He comes to the studio to explain his book, which demonstrates how real time sensing and visualization of data—from satellites, smartphones, the Internet, computers—has the potential to change every aspect of life on earth.

The concept of is all about being able to collect data, seeing the patterns within it, and turning it into actions to change and impact lives. In "The Human Face of Big Data", Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt illustrate some of the examples of how big data is already giving us a brand new way to see things.

Smolan says there are patterns in the data people collect from everything from our smart devices to our credit cards that are now overlapping and that we are now beginning to perceive. “You’re not just getting more information, you’re getting a new dimension of understanding,” Smolan says. “This is affecting health, transportation, entertainment.”—“National security,” Soledad O’Brien interjects. “Everything,” Smolan says.