US Markets Loading... h m s

HOMEPAGE

Tech

11 mesmerizing aerial photos of cities at night

Melia Robinson

2015-11-23T13:29:33Z

AIR_COVER_FINAL_hi_res — New York City. Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

In an age when most socializing happens on computers instead of face-to-face, it's easy to feel disconnected from the world around you.

Advertisement

For Vincent Laforet, nothing offers perspective quite like flying in a helicopter. For his new book "Air," the Pulitzer Prize-winning aerial photographer traveled to 10 cities around the globe and captured them from a higher altitude.

"When you're above it all, you can see the world is much smaller than you realized," Laforet tells Tech Insider.

Laforet shared some of the incredible photos from his book with us. You can see more of Laforet's work on his website.

Advertisement

Laforet says sometimes the biggest challenge for an aerial photographer is ignoring the incredible panoramic views.

SYDNEY_29A2521_v2 — Sydney, Australia Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

It's tempting to photograph the vast expanse, but that rarely translates well to a photograph. "You're just seeing a lot of sky and land," Laforet says.

vincent laforet, air

Advertisement

He instead points his long camera lens at the ground, picking out a specific spot to shoot. It makes the skyline look like a glowing circuit board.

NY01_35A_5532_v5 — New York City, US Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

For his book "Air," Laforet flew over New York, London, Sydney, Barcelona, Berlin, Las Vegas (pictured), and other iconic cities.

LV01_VBL_0794_v7 — Las Vegas, US Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

Advertisement

In order to get these incredible shots, he straps himself into a harness attached to the helicopter. He says it feels safer than wearing a seatbelt.

A photo posted by Vincent Laforet (@vincentlaforet) on Apr 20, 2015 at 7:01am PDT

He takes about 5,000 images during a typical two-hour flight, using a gyroscope to stabilize the camera.

LND01_D7T1161_v1 — London, UK Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

Advertisement

The rise in popularity of LED lights creates this vibrant spectrum of color temperatures. Blues, purples, and greens now accompany the familiar yellowish glow.

MIAMI_D7T2533_v3 — Miami, US Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

Laforet's background as a sports photographer prepared him for the gig. "There's only one game-winning touchdown," he says. "You only have one chance at getting the image."

CHICAGO_VBL_7243_v3 — Chicago, US Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

Advertisement

The same applies to aerial photography. "You're rarely able to get the helicopter in the same spot or in the same moment more than once," he explains.

BERLIN_BP2T3798_v2 — Berlin, Germany Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

He helps map the pilot's route before lift-off, using Google Earth to identify interesting areas to shoot.

BARCELONA_D7T7439_v4 — Barcelona, Spain Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

Advertisement

Laforet traveled 160,000 miles this year, but says Paris, Dubai, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and Hong Kong are still on his list.

LA02_VBL_6860_v4 — Los Angeles, US Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

"It's a very interesting parallel between taking aerial photos and taking a step back in your life and seeing the big picture," Laforet says. "That connects things a little more clearly."

SF06_35A1276_v2 — San Francisco, US Vincent Laforet, Courtesy Fahey/Klein, Los Angeles

Cities Photography

Advertisement

Jump to

Main content
Search
Account