It only takes a shift in perspective to make a massive city look small.
Vincent Laforet, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer known for his stunning photo essays of New York and Las Vegas, is taking his unique style of photography to San Francisco. Harnessing himself to a helicopter 7,200 feet in the air gives Laforet a chance to capture San Francisco like never before -- the photos put new meaning into the term bird's eye view.
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"Flying over San Francisco is daunting - unlike New York City and Vegas that have clear borders, this is a city that never seems to end. And I frankly think I've only scratched the surface so far."
Laforet remarked that San Francisco has its own attitude and seems even more tightly packed than New York.
"There's just something about the vibe about this city -- a perfect balance between the hectic go-getter pace of New York and the more relaxed, laissez-faire rhythm of Los Angeles."
Laforet was also amazed with the grid system and how everything seems to just fit in place.
"The overwhelming feeling I get when I fly over San Francisco is that of peace and order. It feels like every little piece of the puzzle has somehow found its place in what is an absolutely chaotic topography. It is a true feat of engineering and city planning that so many people can live in such a confined place with crazy hills that seem to shoot up and out of the earth."
On the second day of shooting, a steady fog was rolling in which was perfect in helping capture the glow of the city.
"Fog and clouds are a dream for nighttime aerial photography."
With flights costing upwards of $2,500 an hour, there is a lot of care that goes into every shot.
"There are many thoughts that go through my mind as I fly over each city. On the first level I am discovering the city visually, reacting to patterns, lines and geometry, and working out flight plans ... I try to stay very relaxed and to enjoy myself because that translates into the pictures."
The full set of Vincent's photos of San Francisco can be seen here on Storehouse.