5 unmissable scenes… seen from above

See the world from a new perspective to choose your next destination

Aerial photography can give any shot an extra edge, because it shows perspectives and angles of reality that are not immediately visible and sometimes not even imaginable. Think, for example, of the sense of unity, teamwork and coordination conveyed by a shot from above of a group taking part in a flash mob or of a group of dancers perfectly in sync.
But landscapes too take on a completely different look when photographed from medium-high altitudes: the colours, the sense of space, the beauty of the whole.
There are, in particular, places that, filmed from above, have a special, almost magical charm.
We have chosen seven of them to visit with you.

New York City

We are used to seeing shots of the Big Apple mainly from below. These are useful for conveying the sense of how "small" a person feels when they find themselves there for the first time, at the center of the world. But only by changing perspective and looking at the skyscrapers from above do you get the complete and complex vision of the city of The Great Gatsby. It is no accident that the feeling behind "If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere" is truly perceived for the first time only when you are at the top of the Empire State Building or another skyscraper and look at the whole world below.
Another interesting element of The Big Apple, from an architectural point of view, is the Flat Iron. Seen in perspective from below, the strange building looks like a column or, if seen from one of its two sides, like a theater "wing", mysteriously without depth. The secret is only revealed by seeing its floor plan, set within the urban fabric.

Barcelona

Barcelona is magical from every angle. The most patchwork city in Europe (and perhaps in the world) makes your head spin at street level, let alone when framed from above. From the Sagrada Familia to Parc Güell, you get the image of asymmetry becoming harmony, of movement becoming avant-garde architecture.

Etna erupting

The shot of Etna erupting by Luca Parmitano, taken while he was in orbit on his latest space mission, went around the world. But you don't need to go into orbit to understand how sublime the spectacle of such a force of nature is during its activity. It helps us understand what happens deep within things, by seeing them from a high, detached perspective.

Tulip field in the Netherlands

An emotion so strong as to be almost unbearable: that of seeing a field of Dutch tulips in April, in full bloom. Even more so when seen from above, in the full explosion of their colours and scent (luckily not too strong).

Cotton fields, India

India you either love or hate. There is no middle ground. Yann Arthus-Bertrand loves it, as his shots show, revealing from above the most complex aspects, dark and colourful at the same time, of a nation rich in contradictions. Or rather, simply rich.

How to take shots from above?

If available, a viewpoint from a raised surface is without doubt the first option for any amateur (balustrades, raised platforms, railings, etc.)
For those planning to take many high-altitude shots, for professional reasons or out of interest in this kind of photographic expression, cranes were widely used in the past. Today, however, both because of the very high cost of rental or purchase and because they are impractical, these tools are being replaced by the more modern telescopic poles and drones. The latter, increasingly used and constantly improved to make them lighter and easier to handle, are nevertheless subject to ENAC regulations. For now they remain the best solution for high-quality, maximally expressive photos from high altitude.

See life from above.