Asia From Above: Drone Pilot And Photographer Captures Stunning Eastern Landscapes

By Alex Jones

THE AMAZING architecture of some of Asia’s most impressive metropolises have been captured by a high-flying British photographer.

Stunning shots include a bird’s eye view of the “organised chaos” of Hong Kong; the mystique and wonder of an ancient Japanese castle; and the awe-inspiring state-of-the-art superstructures in Singapore.

The remarkable shots were snapped by Lee Mumford, 32, a British pilot who now resides in Hong Kong.

Combining his mutual loves of photography, travel, and aviation, Lee has travelled across the world’s largest continent snapping his favourite constructions – often using his flying skills to pilot a drone.

“I’ve always had a love for travel and once I fulfilled my dream of becoming an airline pilot, this gave me numerous opportunities to see some of the most incredible sights this planet has to offer,” said Lee, whose father was a pilot too.

“It was then when I started to take pictures, in order to bring back some of these incredible memories. My images started as purely holiday snaps until I started to invest more time into the technical side of how to take successful images. This involved a lot of YouTube videos and online reading. Eventually once I built up this knowledge, I started to experiment with different genres and created my own style.

“Asia has some of the most stunning architecture I’ve ever seen. Living in one of the most densely populated cities on the planet unlocks endless picture opportunities. As I travelled to new and exciting places throughout Asia, I’ve focused on the architectural theme, seeking and documenting the unique angles everywhere I go.”

Photography has always played an important role in Lee’s life and he enjoys using his camera to open people’s eyes to other cultures.

“I spent the early years of my life in the UK before moving to Hong Kong at the age of 6,” continued Lee, who is currently planning a photography trip to Jordan.

“Living in Asia introduced me to different cultures from a very early age and subconsciously planted that travel bug.

“As a kid, I always loved technology and once I found my parents old film SLR, I couldn’t put it down. My school offered Photography as an A-level, so I jumped at the chance of learning more about the subject. I used the same old film SLR for the full 2 years, learning how to develop your own roll of film and processing pictures in the dark room – a skill that seems to be lost these days with the rise of digital. Once I started working, I never found the time to photograph until my recent career change into aviation.

“I love showing off the beauty of these buildings, which most people would probably walk past without even looking at. Buildings are everywhere and no matter where I’m flying too, there are always endless opportunities to capture something unique. I really like to portray how densely populated Hong Kong is and the living conditions some people have to put up with. Being from the UK, it was a huge cultural shock moving to such a cramped city where living in shoebox apartments right on top of neighbours is a common occurrence. “