Photographer Maciej Margas beautifully captured aerial photos of Poland that might make you fall in love with this country. His project Poland From The Sky is a dream come true for Maciej Margas.
I’m a 28-year-old photographer based in Warsaw, Poland. I was always fascinated with the views of the world from above. When I was 16 years old, I started taking photos from the roofs of Warsaw skyscrapers. Later I met my future wife, who was also doing rooftop photography. One day she was invited to fly over Warsaw in-plane with a student pilot, and that’s how aerial photography appeared in our lives. I wrote about our first project here. This has let us spread our wings!
Poland From The Sky is a dream come true. The effect of passion, that became our lives. I chose some of the photos and described them so you can see some amazing places in Poland and fall in love with them!
You can find Maciej Margas on the Web:
We made a list of places to photograph in Poland. This is what the final map looked like
Photos were taken from planes, balloons, drones… but helicopter gave us the most freedom
We opened an exhibition of our aerial photographs on the 35th floor of a skyscraper in Warsaw, where the premiere of our photobook “Poland From The Sky” took place. If you are in Warsaw this month – you’re welcome here! But for now, check out the photographs below!
#1 Warsaw In The Clouds
In Autumn we were able to capture the Polish capital in a sea of fog. Looking at the history of Warsaw, this photo is quite symbolic – the city was nearly completely destroyed in World War II, but thanks to the people of Warsaw, it was rebuilt and has risen like the phoenix from the ashes.
I love aerial photography for a few reasons. From above you can see more. It takes you to another world. You need a lot of concentration and imagination to shoot great photos, but also to analyze and understand them as a viewer. In the air, there are many things you can’t predict, so you need to decide very quickly. One photograph taken from above can tell us about many things at once – a history of a place, its people, architecture, location. Also, the world from a bird’s eye view seems much smaller.
#2 The Pieniny Archipelago
Flying over the sea of fog and seeing Pieniny mountains rising above the clouds was a unique and mystical experience. It looks like an archipelago, not mountains at all!
#3 The Historic Center Of Krakow
Krakow was once the Polish capital city, and still is one of the most beautiful cities.
In the picture, you can see the Wawel Royal Castle and the historic part of town, surrounded by the Planty gardens, (created in place of the old city walls). The town’s square seen in the background is the biggest in Europe – it is 656ft x 656ft big.
In the last couple of years, we made aerial projects about Warsaw, the Silesia region, and the biggest Polish cities. But for us, it wasn’t enough! 3 years ago we came up with an idea, to publish a book about the whole Poland seen from above. To fly above the places which are unique, important, or just beautiful. We wanted to capture modern Poland, but also show its historic context. We were looking for the places well known, the ones from the UNESCO Heritage list, or the beautiful and hidden places. Cities, national parks, rivers, lakes, castles, palaces, sea, mountains – places describing Poland.
#4 Gdańsk From Above
Gdansk was once the biggest city in Poland and had the biggest port of the Baltic Sea.
In the photo, you can see the old fortifications, not visible from the ground level.
#5 The End Or The Beginning Of Poland
The Hel Peninsula is 35 kilometers long and is one of the greatest unique features of Poland.
I like aviation, but still, it is photography that absorbs me the most. We live in times of Instagram, thinking everything has been already photographed and there is nothing we haven’t seen. But then when you want to check how some places look like from the air, there aren’t any photos of them! I always look for the best shot, interesting flight routes, to take photos not seen before. But it was very difficult to visit all the places, find planes and pilots nearby, coordinate it with weather to have the best light possible. Many times we were driving at night to the other end of Poland, to be there when the sun rises. We caught the light and learned.
#6 Warsaw By Night
This is the actual night panorama of the Polish capital city – Warsaw. In this photo, you can see at least 30 skyscrapers, and half of them are 492ft or higher.
#7 Abstract Shapes
These shapes are in fact created by ash wastes of Belchatow Power Plant.
Our mission was to show and prove, that Poland is a very modern, interesting, and diverse country. That it’s our common good, and we have a fascinating heritage. That we, Poles, don’t know many things about our country, and it is worth visiting for foreigners. That there is much more in Poland than politics, differences, or divisions. People like our photos, because they take them to another world and make them change a perspective – not only in looking at photos but looking at reality too. The book we published is the essence of Poland.
#8 Auschwitz Birkenau
Included on the UNESCO Heritage list as a testimony to one of the biggest crimes against humanity in the history of the world. This concentration camp was the place of mass murder of about 1.5 million people in the years 1940-1945. We wanted to show not only beautiful but important (even tragic) places.
#9 Solina Lake
Dam in Solina created one of the most picturesque lakes in Poland.
#10 River’s End
A place, where after 650 miles Vistula, the longest Polish river, flows into the Baltic Sea.
#11 Tatra Mountains
This mountain range is partially Polish, but mostly Slovakian. In the center of the frame, you can see Morskie Oko – the biggest Tatra lake and the tourist shelter. To the right, there is a Rysy peak (8198 ft AMSL), the highest place in Poland.
#12 Star Of Subcarpathia
Łańcut Palace is composed of star-shaped fortifications.
#13 Pol’and’rock Festival
The camp field from above.
#14 Marina In Gdynia
Winter creates fantastic landscapes!
#15 The Biggest Desert In Europe
The Błędowska Desert isn’t a work of nature, but of man. A few centuries ago local forests were cut down for the needs of silver and lead smelters.
#16 Flying In A Doorless Plane
Without doors, it’s much easier to frame, but the cold wind may become a huge problem.
#17 The Island Of Kings
Ostrów Lednicki is a mysterious place. Probably here the Baptism of Poland happened, and the first ruler of Polish tribes – Mieszko I – had one of his seats.
#18 The Fortress Of Kłodzko
From above it looks like a star!
#19 The Ideal City
Zamość was founded by the 16th-century magnate Jan Zamoyski, and for this purpose, he hired a designer from the Italian city of Padua – Bernardo Morando. How did they manage to create such a complete form without looking at this Pearl of the Renaissance from the air, just like us?
#20 An Alien Plant
It’s a waste container for the side effect of copper production.
#21 Mystery Castle
The lower Silesia region is full of all kinds of castles and palaces. The Czocha Castle seen in the photo was a major film set element for over 30 movies.
#22 Amazing Rivers
The winding paths of Wieprz River.
#23 Biebrzanski National Park
It’s the biggest national park in Poland, located in the northeastern part of the country. The river here creates a muddy terrain. It’s hard to reach from the ground, but a perfect place for many bird species.
#24 Malbork Castle
The mighty Malbork Castle is the biggest castle not only in Poland but the whole of Europe! It was one of the capital cities of a Teutonic Order. Now it’s on the UNESCO Heritage List.
#25 The Winter Is Coming
During one of the flights in Autumn, we saw an amazing spectacle of nature – storks getting ready for their departure to warm countries.
#26 Katowice By Night
This Upper Silesian City is the heart of the agglomeration. It’s one of the brightest places on the night map of Poland.
#27 The Land Of Great Masurian Lakes
In the photo, you can see the biggest lake in Poland – Śniardwy. It’s nearly as big as Toruń!
#28 The Oldest In Poland
Lower Silesian Złotoryja is the oldest city in Poland – it was founded in 1211.
#29 The Versilles Of Podlasie
Branicki Palace in Białystok holds its resemblance to the original Versaille in France.
#30 Solar Energy
Witnica Solar Park is the biggest solar park in Poland. From air, you can see more and more places like this built all around the country.
#31 The Farmlands Of Małopolska
#32 At Work
POLAND ON AIR – Aleksandra Łogusz and Maciej Margas – at work!
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