The strangest places to photograph from above

Created by nature, by man... or by aliens, a few scenes to film from above, with specific equipment.

A photography enthusiast with a special passion for aerial photography knows well that every view and every subject can be enhanced when captured from the unusual aerial perspective, a bird's-eye view. The challenge is to always look for new techniques and new perspectives to get "the perfect shot".
However, every photographer also knows that there are places and things that seem made to be photographed from above, because the aerial perspective helps us enjoy and understand them better and, in some cases, is even indispensable for decoding and understanding the scene in question.

Let's look together at some of these special subjects, which need a special framing and, of course, special equipment too.

Man-made artifacts

The world is dotted with sculptures and structures, especially of modern and contemporary art, that seem to have been made to be seen from above. An aerial photography enthusiast should take a 'trip around the world' in search of these works to capture. For example, the swimmer monument in London could be a good first stop for a photographer looking for unique images. What's more, even online, photos showing it from above are not plentiful, so this shot could be a good way to stand out.
The same goes for the needle and thread at Cadorna station in Milan. Few Milanese, or those who have moved there, really understand and reflect on the meaning of what this two-part sculpture represents. From above it is easy to see that it is an enormous needle that, with its thread, stitches together and joins the underground world and the surface of the city, at a focal point for Milan's transport.
Finally, if you want to hop over to the USA, don't miss Washington D.C. and its awakening of the giant. Unsettling, its depth and meaning can only be grasped by seeing it from above.

Tools to use: for this type of shot, mostly taken while travelling, a telescopic pole will do just fine. Obviously, the lighter it is, the easier it will be to carry around. For this reason too, a telescopic pole such as the MagicPole made of ultra-light fibreglass may be the best solution.

Natural landscapes

When it comes to landscapes and sculptures created by nature, we are truly spoiled for choice. You could say that wherever you go, there is an unmissable landscape. Yet there are scenes scattered around the world that can only be appreciated in all their majesty when seen from an aerial perspective, like the breathtaking colours of the Grand Prismatic Spring, in Yellowstone park (USA), and the view of the Pjorsa river in Iceland, with its majesty and sense of glacial cold. It conveys a sense of danger, untouchability, the enormity of nature's forces, almost entirely the opposite of the sense of peace given by the view of the coral reef, with its colours and shapes unrepeatable in any other corner of the planet.

Tools to use: in this case a telescopic pole might not be enough. Better a certified quadcopter, which, flying over uncrowded areas, delivers the best service with the least effort.

Otherworldly patterns...

The literature on crop circles is by now endless. There are countless hypotheses and explanations, but we always like to think that every now and then extraterrestrial beings drop by to show us that we are not the only planet that can make beautiful things, and that in the constant search for beauty we are not alone in the universe.

Tools to use: asking an alien spaceship for a lift and asking them to take photos from a privileged position may be a good solution. Failing that, either a drone or a glider can be an alternative method. However, even a position 5 metres high provided by a telescopic pole allows us to take images with a different perspective and show not only the image 'tattooed' flat on the ground, but also some facets of the grass and wheat, the raw material of these works.