Lens-Artists,  Photographic techniques,  Themed galleries

Gallery: the view from above

January 20, 2025 / 17 Comments

I walk, I look, I see, I stop, I photograph

Leon Levinstein

There is little I like more than the chance to see the world, or at least a tiny part of it, from a different perspective. And that often means getting high up to look down. Whether from a plane, a hot air balloon, a tall building or a mountain (preferably reached by cable car!), things always look different from above.

For this week’s Lens Artists challenge Ritva asks us to ‘shoot from above’, so I’ve revisited my archives to find examples of many of the occasions when I was able to do just that. Please click on any image to open a slideshow with captions that will tell you where each was taken.

My feature photo was taken in Pyongyang, North Korea. A flotilla of small boats was out on the river collecting weed that had washed downstream during a storm the previous day. Because I know I’ve used this several times before, I’ve given it a different edit this time, using Nik Efex Pro’s vintage filter. When I took a similar photo of the same river from the Yanggakdo International Hotel a few days later (see below) they were still out clearing the weed!

Flying high

Whether in a plane or helicopter, it can be interesting to point the camera more or less straight down. That’s not always easy from large commercial jets, so smaller planes offer better opportunities.

A lot of hot air

I love the sensation of flying in a hot air balloon! So far I’ve done so three times and hope to do more. The first was in the UK and inexplicably I don’t seem to have any photos from that flight, but I have plenty from our flights in Namibia and Marrakesh.

Climb every mountain

Of course when up a mountain I point my camera at the views, trying to show the beauty and extent of the surrounding landscape. But it’s also interesting to angle it downwards and get a different perspective on nearby scenes.

Up on the roof

As with mountains, so with roofs and tall buildings. While the expanse of a cityscape can be impressive, there can also be interesting shots to be had immediately below the building.

At my feet

However, we don’t actually need to fly or to climb anything in order to ‘shoot from above’, we just need to look down at our feet. That’s something I do quite a lot, as I’m prone to clumsiness and can easily take a tumble on uneven ground or pavements! But when it comes to photography, it can pay off.

17 Comments

  • Tina Schell

    January 20, 2025 at 14:14 Reply

    A terrific response as always Sarah. I must admit my favorites are your final set but of course they are all wonderful. Your balloon images remind me when we took a balloon ride in Australia I didn’t even use my camera I was so fascinated with the whole thing. Of course now I very much regret that LOL. I’ve corrected that with subsequent adventures but that one still annoys me in hindsight. Duh!

    • Sarah Wilkie

      January 20, 2025 at 15:36 Reply

      Thank you Tina 🙂 I must admit I feel the same way about my first balloon ride here in England, I would love to have some photo memories from that experience!

    • Sarah Wilkie

      January 20, 2025 at 12:26 Reply

      Thanks so much Brian 😊 As I said to Sue, it’s funny how we’re all drawn to tumbledown buildings! By the way, guess who I met for a coffee this morning? A clue: we talked about you!

  • Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

    January 20, 2025 at 10:08 Reply

    Wow, you so many wonderful images, so I am going to pick a favorite from all of the galleries. First. I live the header, Flying over Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Old barn below the cable car to Dajti Mountain, it is lovely, Village near Marrakesh is like a artwork, the Taegong River from the Yanggakdo International Hotel, and the children were fighting for the top choice in this gallery. And the nature shot – all lovely also but the feather is my choice. You are lucky to have been able to see all these places from above.

  • restlessjo

    January 20, 2025 at 09:56 Reply

    Love those soggy leaves, Sarah. Sometimes it’s the simple stuff. I’d love to do a hot air balloon flight but I’d be too excited to get good photos. A steady hand is something I lack at the best of times. You must be off to the Philippines soon?

    • Sarah Wilkie

      January 20, 2025 at 12:22 Reply

      Thank you Jo 🙂 Once over the initial excitement of take-off a balloon flight is surprisingly relaxing, so I reckon you’d be OK to take some good shots! There are still nearly four weeks will we go away, in mid February.

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