London From Above: Spectacular Aerial Views of the City's Skyline

AN aerial photographer captures London’s famous skyscrapers and landmarks as you’ve never seen them before

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Videographer / Director: Jason Hawkes
Producer: Crystal Chung, Nick Johnson
Editor: Joshua Douglas

A stunning aerial view of Nine Elms and Riverlight with Pimlico, Westminster and Lambeth in the background

Photographer Jason Hawkes has been shooting aerial views for over 20 years but these incredible panoramic images of London were all shot at various times over the last year.

Jason from Oxfordshire spends much of his time snapping the world's most famous cities and landscapes from the air, but takes more bird’s-eye view images in London than anywhere else.

Jason captures an aerial shot 3000ft over Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Hawkes said: “London is just so diverse. There are beautiful parks, incredible skyscrapers and even areas that can feel quite village-like.

“You can fly wherever you like over London so the choice is almost limitless, making it extremely difficult in some respects to work out where the best viewpoints are.

Photographer Jason Hawkes, has been shooting aerial views for over 20 years

“I particularly like shooting just after dusk when the city looks incredibly dramatic.”

All of Jason’s images are taken from a twin-engined AS355 helicopter and he normally operates from 750ft above the ground up to 2500ft – but on the odd occasion the talented photographer has gone as low as 400ft over the River Thames.

A view of Albert Hall, Kensington, Kensington Gardens taken from above

He said: “The highest I have ever had to shoot from was 20,000ft wearing oxygen masks. It was very very cold.”

Each shoot takes a day or two to plan, although if he needs to get very low, below 500ft, it can take a little more time to sort the permits.

A sea of people flock to Lambeth Country Show in Brockwell Park in the middle of Summer

While strapped safely to the passenger seat, Jason leans out of the window to take the impressive photographs which feature breathtaking shots of London’s Shard, ‘Walkie Talkie Tower’, ‘Gherkin’ and London Bridge at dawn, dusk and lit up in the evening.

Hawkes explained: “I love the iconic view if you sit just east of Tower Bridge and shoot looking up the river at dusk with Tower Bridge in the foreground.

Using a twin-engined AS355 helicopter, Jason captures Emirates Football Stadium

“I’ve shot that view hundreds of times and, as the sun sets, you always get different colours in the sky depending on the cloud level. It can look just incredible at times.”

Hawkes said: “I particularly like shooting just after dusk when the city looks incredibly dramatic.”

Jason’s London portfolio showcases the UK capital's ever-expanding modernity with its traditional architecture, capturing skyscrapers and well-known monuments.

The talented photographer captures the development of the Shell Centre, now South Bank Place

He said: “There are a lot of discussions about all the new architecture and tall towers that are appearing in London. Personally I think the skyline of the city is amazing and most of the buildings add rather than subtract to it.”