A photographer captured breathtaking aerial photos of London throughout 2016
No matter the angle, the ever-changing face of London looks beautiful from above. To capture the stunning city, Jason Hawkes flies in an AS355 twin-engined helicopter from heights of around 450ft up to around 3000ft.
His aerial photographs are a sobering reminder of the sheer size of London. Even from above, the city stretches all the way to the horizon.
47% of London is green space, meaning photographers can capture striking photos that wouldn't be possible in other cities like New York and Hong Kong.
Source: The Independent
London's skyline is changing so rapidly that it provides constant inspiration for Hawkes. At dusk, the Shard's imposing silhouette towers over the city.
And in the later months of 2016, London was shrouded in mist as cold weather gripped the city.
It's not just the famous landmarks that catch Jason's eye, either. He finds abstract subjects equally as appealing – "things which you don't know are there until you happen to fly over them," he told the BBC.
Source: BBC
Thousands of Londoners flocked to the city's green spaces in the summer as a heatwave swept through the capital. Hawkes photographed this sea of people at Brockwell Park during the Lambeth Country Show.
Winter Wonderland is just as bright from above as it is on the ground. To get the best shot, Jason has the door of the helicopter removed and all his kit is tethered to hard points in the helicopter.
In 2016, he says a new construction "seems to have shot up" every few weeks. Here, people are seen admiring the view from the Sky Garden at the top of the 155-metre high 20 Fenchurch Street.
Battersea Power Station, seen here with the development of Nine Elms behind, is set to become Apple's London HQ. 1,400 staff will be moved as part of the site's £9 billion redevelopment.
Over time, Jason has secured his place as one of the world's most respected aerial photographers.
Hawkes can spend up to £3,000 for just two hours above London if his journey strays away from the standard helicopter routes.
But he'd opt for a helicopter over a drone any day.
"I love flying. It's the whole reason I became an aerial photographer in the first place," says Hawkes. "I really don't want to end up stuck on the ground."
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