Viewing huge cities or expansive plains from above gives you a completely different perspective on the world. Large, sweeping landscapes can suddenly seem small or even vast, while a huge city can look intricate, complicated, and, if it’s night, almost as though it were lit from within.
For a moment, it lets you see the way a bird would see the world. Enter AirPano: a team of Russian photographers and specialists that travel the world to take breath-taking aerial photos of the world’s most gorgeous locations.
“Although we usually photograph from a helicopter, we also like to shoot from an airplane, a dirigible, a hot air balloon, and a radio-controlled helicopter,” they write on their website. The most fascinating aspect of their approach, however, is AirPano’s special viewer, which allows visitors to pan 360-degrees around a location. That means you can gaze at these beautiful places in every direction, like you’re really there.
Below is just a small sampling of the stunning photos they take and a truly unique perspective. When I took a look at them my jaw literally dropped — it’s that amazing!
Central Park, NY, USA
Churun-meru (Dragon) Waterfall, Venezuela
Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France
Russia, Uzon caldera, Kamchatka
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow, Russia
Barcelona, Spain
Westerdok Disctrict, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Lake Powell, UT–AZ, USA
Lake Baikal, Russia
Santorini (Thira), Oia, Greece
Dubai Marina, UAE
Iguasu Falls, Argentina and Brazil
Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, Iceland
Prague, Czech Republic
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Flamingo, Lake Bogoria, Kenya