There is something extremely satisfying about looking at the world from above. Perhaps it’s the fact that we’re away from our worries, where we can revel in the beauty and organization of the world just as it is.
We can’t always fly, so let’s be grateful for aerial photographers such as Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Klaus Leidorf, and Gray Malin, among others, whose work can be appreciated year-round.
From airplanes, helicopters, and hot air balloons, these photographers go to great lengths to teach us how big and vibrant the world is, through magnificent environmental, landscape, and wildlife captures.
Make an instant “getaway” and peer down at the world through some of the most stunning aerial photographs ever taken.
01. Soak in this scene of the charming Cayman Islands.
02. Ever been in Los Angeles traffic? Be glad you’re not in it now!
03. A glimpse of a lumber yard in Port-Gentil, Ogooué-Maritime Province, Gabon.
04. The Canadian Coast Guard’s icebreaker, the Louis-Saint-Laurent, in Resolute Bay.
05. A striking view of Central Park.
Sergey Semenov
06. A look at center pivot irrigation in Ma’an, Jordan.
07. Arthus-Bertrand’s shot of an islet in the terraced rice fields of Bali, Indonesia.
08. Just between Ravenna and Rimini, you’ll find these lovely seaside resorts on the Adriatic coastline of Italy.
09. Stark contrast made by snow.
10. Everything in its place.
11. A flock of sheep keeping busy.
12. A sea of rubber, or a tire scrap yard, is as fascinating as it is atrocious.
13. The most soothing waves you’ll ever see.
14. A frightening but natural scene at Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park.
15. Calling all drummers! Slip yourself into this image of Neil Peart’s kit.
16. The Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in America.
17. A surreal shot of Barcelona, Spain.
18. New York City’s Yankee Stadium has never looked this good.
19. A bird’s-eye view of a dromedary caravan near Nouakchott, Mauritania.
20. Find summer bliss in Gray Malin’s Azul Beach, Brazil.
21. Malin captures the timeless elegance of Saint-Tropez, France.
22. Beach surfers at Maroubra, New South Wales.
23. Tree of Life, an acacia at Tsavo National Park, Kenya.
24. Meanwhile in the Ivory Coast, a worker takes a moment to rest on bales of cotton.
25. “Sand Digger” in the rural commune of Kalabancoro, Bamako, Mali.
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