The New York skyline looks as it from the ground. Ever wondered how it fascinating would it look from bird’s view? Alex S. Maclean probably had the same idea in his mind which lead him to counter his flying phobia and do aerial photography while flying his own fuel efficient Cessna 182 plane. The American photographer has been taking aerial shots for the last 40 years and have published 11 award winning books, containing his photography.

MacLean started taking illustrative pictures of the land from the sky in 1975 for different environmentalists, landscape designers, architects and urban planners while he was studying architecture from Harvard. The photographs from 5000 feet and above showed the mind blowing geometric patterns of the American and European landscape. However, MacLean did not only take aesthetic pictures but also incorporated the anthropogenic activities which ultimately disrupt the natural environment of the earth.

Bathers in Wave Pool, Orlando, Florida, USA

Taken in 1999.

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Balcony View, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

Taken in 2006.

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

Taken in 2013

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Desert Orchard, Blyth, California, USA

Taken in 1991

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

End of the Road, Santa Rosa Island, Florida, USA

Taken in 2007

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Flower Fields, Lompoc, California, USA

Taken in 2013

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Green Cab, Newark, New Jersey, USA

Taken in 2010

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Hamburg, Germany

Taken in 2012

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Flamingos in Rosolina, Italy

Taken in 2009

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Logging Rafts, Olympia, Washington, USA

Taken in 2005

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Motorcycle Racing on Black Ice, Southeastern Massachusetts, USA

Taken 1989

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Interchanging Flyovers in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Taken in 2009

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

NorFolk Golf Course, Westwood, Massachusetts, USA

Taken in 2013

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Ocean City Amusement Park, Ocean City, Maryland, USA

Taken in 2011.

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Piazza Del Campo, Siena, Italy

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Picnickers Watching Live Concert at Tanglewood, Lenox, Massachusetts, USA

Taken in 1996

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Pool Next to the Charles River, East Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Taken in 2012

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Row Crew, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

Taken in 2011

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Snow-blown Tennis Courts, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA

Taken in 2013

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Sunbathers on a Rocky Shore, Liverno, Italy

Taken in 2007

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

The Ledge at Willis Tower, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Taken in 2012

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Tree Shadows in Snow, Middlebury, Vermont, USA

Taken in 1990

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Surfers behind breaking waves at Sunset Beach in Oahu, Hawaii, USA

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Unplanted, Kale and Flower Fields, Lompoc, California, USA

Taken in 2013

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Viareggio, Italy

Taken in 2007

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Cars parked at a Nascar event in Richmond, Virginia, USA

Taken in 2005

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Wastewater Containment, Olympia, Washington, USA

Taken in 2005

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Wetlands Tampering, West Creek, New Jersey, USA

Taken in 2010

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Winding Fences, Bolton, Massachusetts, USA

Taken in 2013

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

Windsurfer, Rosignano Marittimo, Italy

Taken in 2007

Image: © Alex S. MacLean

References: Huffington Post, Alex S. MacLean