Can Akyar Photography

Eye in the sky over India

Eye in the sky over India: Camera on a kite snaps fabulous photographs of the sub-continent

Taken from skies high above India these startling images provide a new perspective on the country's rich culture and vibrant landscapes.

Incredibly they were snapped not from the inside of an aeroplane but from camera hanging from a simple kite.

For the last nine years French photographer Nicolas Chorier has been attaching one of his four specialist cameras to a simple Japanese-style kite in order to take thousands of pictures of places from above.

The iconic white stonework of the Taj Mahal with the city of Agra behind - 47-year-old Nicolas developed his passion for photography after growing up in France with weekly slide shows around the fireplace

Lengths of of fishing net looks like strings of spaghetti as fishermen walk among the scattered debris of their trade on this beach in Kovalam, Kerala at the southern tip of India

The stunning images provide a bird's eye view of everyday scenes such as two people partaking in a martial art on a beach in Karala and iconic buildings such as the Taj Mahal.

'From above it's a completely new vision, new perspectives, new ways to understand the landscape and heritage,' said Nicolas.

Caught on camera: The moment stranded motorist is rescued from submerged car by heroic driver and his son

Meet chilly Lily: The hairless dog who has to wear an adult sized onesie to keep the cold out

'Every place has something interesting to show from above. The results are full of discovery, showing new perspectives, new shadows.

'Getting so close to subjects is magical, exquisite and thrilling.' 

Hampi is a village in northern Karnataka state, India, located within the ruins of Vijayanagara, which dates back to the 1st century BC

Part of the beauty of Chorier's style is it allows him to shoot buildings such as Udaipur Lake Palace in Rajasthan, from the air in an ecological way - without resorting to helicopter or plane

Photography has always been a part of Nicolas's life.

The 47-year-old grew up in France with weekly slide shows around the fireplace.

He was given his first camera when he was 12-years-old and quickly became a photography enthusiast.

As a teenager he also loved flying kites and one day decided to combine his two passions.

Nicolas, who lives in Pondicherry, India, makes his own kites using siliconised nylon and carbon sticks.

The photographic equipment is mounted in a small cradle hanging on a line under the kite.

Only when his kite is in position and flying smoothly does he send the camera up.

His stunning pictures cast new light on iconic buildings and give a bird's eye view of landscapes in India, Uzbekistan and Laos.

Men participating in the Indian martial art of Kalaripayattu in the southern state of Kerala. It is one of the oldest fighting systems in existence, practiced in the state and contiguous parts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka

Camel riders and their animals cast long shadows as they take a rest in the sun in Pushkar - in the Indian state of Rajasthan

A gaggle of fisherman drag in a boat full with their bounty from the sea. Nicolas was given his first camera when he was 12-years-old and quickly became a photography enthusiast

An air-to-ground video link beams live images back to a portable TV screen strapped around the photographer's neck.

Nicolas then uses a remote control to move the cradle and camera into the best position to take the picture.

'Each site has its own challenges,' he said.

'I have to consider the atmosphere temperature, the crowds, winds, electrical wires and obstacles. It can become very touchy at times.' 

It's not just getting close to his subjects Nicolas enjoys about kite photography, it's the ecological benefits of what he does.

'I'm very concerned about ecology and saving our natural resources,' he said.

'I love the idea of using only the wind to do such activity, compared to burning kerosene with a helicopter, or wasting helium with a balloon.'

To capture the moment the Frenchman holds his kite reel under one arm with the remote control over one shoulder and a video monitor around his neck. He can point the camera in any direction and zoom in or out by sending it up or down the kite's string in a special harness.

Women put their colourful freshly washed saris out to dry in the sweltering sun while a child comes to assist

Chorier says he loves the idea of using only the wind to take photos as compared with burning kerosene with a helicopter, or wasting helium with a balloon'

Nicolas uses a remote control to move the cradle and camera into the best position to take a picture. He says each site brings its own challenges

The photographer says: 'I have to consider the atmosphere temperature, the crowds, winds, electrical wires and obstacles. It can become very touchy at times'

iiNicolas it is not just getting close to his subjects that he enjoys, but also the ecological benefits of not using an aeroplane or other mechanical device

Rice Terraces In China

Don't be fooled, it's not a painting: Incredible views of rice terraces that look like a stairway to heaven

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These stunning images showing abstract swirls of colours and patterns could be mistaken for a collection of paintings.

But they are in fact photographs of the breathtaking Hani Rice Terraces, found in the mountains above Yuanyang, in south-west China. 

They are often described as the 'stairway to heaven' because of the vast layers of land reaching heights of up to 2000 meters above sea level. 

Stunning: Hani Terraces are located at Yuanyang County in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province

Natural wonder: The site is protected by the laws of the People's Republic of China
The Hani people's ancestors came to the steep mountain area 2,500 years ago.
In their struggle against the difficult terrain they transformed the land into terraced rice paddies where they grew rice to make a living.

 

The creativity of the Hani people has not only transformed the area into a fertile area to grow rice but also a place of artistic beauty. 
In recognition, the Ming Dynasty emperor granted the title of Skillful Sculpture to the Hani people and the fields have been officially acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site.

Hani people have created fantastic and perfect land art of vast terraced fields in the heritage site

Wonder of the world: Two thousand five hundred years ago, the ancestors of Hani people came from Tibetan Plateau to work this land

Beautiful: The Yuanyang Rice Terraces are situated in the southern Ailao Mountains, dug out by the Hani people

The entire field is irrigated with spring water from the forest above to rejuvenate and prepare for the next growing season
Over quite a long period of time the local people have cultivated a great number of rice species in their farming activities.
The site is protected by the laws of the People's Republic of China and support enough rice for hundreds of thousands of people. 

Picture perfect: The water flows down the fields creating this amazing natural scenery

Stairway to heaven: The 1000m of mountain slopes of terraces are still in used today and were created by the people of Hani thousands of years ago

Like a painting: The water which flows down from the mountains are crystal clear while the air is incredibly clean
Yuanyang county lies at an altitude ranging from 140 along the Red River up to nearly 3000 metres above sea level in the Ailao mountains and is about 50km north of the border with Vietnam.
During the winter to early spring season the entire field is irrigated with spring water from the forest above to rejuvenate and prepare for the next growing season. 
There is only one harvest per year for the Yuanyang Rice Terrace and planting occurs from March to November every year.

The amazing rice-terraces were built on the red-soil mountains by the Hani people

Without hard work maintaining the terrace walls and irrigation system, the precious top soil would wash down the hillsides into the rivers

The entire field is irrigated with spring water from the forest above to rejuvenate and prepare for the next growing season

Natural beauty: There is only one harvest per year for the Yuanyang Rice Terrace

Close up: The terraces were created by the Hani people thousands of years ago

During the winter to early spring season, the entire field is filled with spring water