London from the Air - by Jeffrey Milstein (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Combining an architect's eye and daredevil aerial approach with the restricted airspace over London provides breathtaking photographs as seen here for the first time. London is one of the most photographed cities in the world. But by shooting with the newest high-resolution cameras while leaning out of helicopters, Milstein offers us a double-take of familiar architecture and landscapes. His award-winning work brings a fresh and unexpected view of the city. Due to strict laws around aerial photography, Milstein treats us to a view that otherwise would not be seen, and this new book fills a gap of more than 15 years of aerial photographs of London. Milstein's distinctive style-straight down-brings London to life in a way that is impossible to imagine from street level: from the Thames snaking through the heart of the city, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, and the City of London business district to Canary Wharf, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, the magical symmetry of roads, and the beloved green commons. London from the Air is sure to be treasured by anyone who loves the city by the Thames"--Publisher's description.

Book Synopsis

Combining an architect's eye with low-flying, aerial views, Milstein shows London's charm, beauty, and iconic buildings in wonderful and breathtaking photographs.

By shooting with the newest high-resolution cameras while leaning out of helicopters, Milstein offers us a new take on familiar architecture and landscapes. His award-winning work brings a fresh and unexpected view of the city. Granted unusual permission to bypass the strict laws around aerial photography over the capital city, Milstein treats us to views that otherwise would not be seen, and this new book fills a gap of more than fifteen years of aerial photographs of London.

Milstein's distinctive style--straight down--brings London to life in a way that is impossible to imagine from street level: from the Thames snaking through the heart of the city to Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, the City of London business district, Canary Wharf, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, and the magical symmetry of roads and beloved green commons.

London from the Air is sure to be treasured by anyone who loves the city by the Thames.

Review Quotes

2023 Winner of The Architecture MasterPrize for Exterior Architecture, Cityscapes

"Photographer Jeffrey Milstein gives us a bird's eye view of the British capital in London From The Air, an elegant, eye-popping collection of images that provide rare perspectives of the city on the Thames. In 2000, after a successful career in architecture, New York-based Milstein shifted his focus to photography at age 56. A lifelong aviation buff who earned his pilot's license at age 17, Milstein's first major body of work featured aircraft shot from below as they landed and was exhibited at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Soon after, he flipped the direction of his camera and began shooting high resolution images of cityscapes from above. The 228 color pages in this bargain-priced coffee table volume offer breathtaking looks at London landmarks old (Big Ben, Buckingham Palace) and new (the cheekily nicknamed skyscrapers Gherkin, Scalpel and Shard). But the book's greatest revelation is the bounty of green space within a city so often thought of as crowded and gray. From the grand corridor of Regent's Park to the Kensington Palace gardens to the tree-lined residential neighborhoods of Camden borough, Milstein's photos, taken from a specially permitted low-altitude helicopter, offer gloriously verdant views of London." -- Passport Magazine

"'To fly from, need not be to hate, mankind, ' wrote Byron, in a remark definitely not made about aerial photography. But as Jeffrey Milstein demonstrates in London from the Air, to fly above London is to appreciate the great works of man, albeit from an unusual perspective. And so, we feel the regularity of Christopher Wren's Chelsea Hospital even more keenly when we see it from above. John Nash's great swoop of Regent Street expresses itself more forcefully when taken in at one go. Milstein, a photographer, architect, and pilot, brings us on a flying tour of the Big Smoke, revealing the human achievement by soaring above." -- THE NEW CRITERION

"Jeffrey Milstein shoots straight -- straight down, that is. Numerous photographs in his [new] book...showcase that signature style. While many of us have snapped a photo from an airplane window, Milstein's images elevate the practice to a new level: graphic, arresting and unexpected, they reveal whole new perspectives on even the most familiar cityscapes below." -- FOUR SEASONS MAGAZINE

"Both an acclaimed photographer and a pilot...Milstein's distinctive point of view brings the city [of London] to life in a way that street pedestrians cannot begin to fathom. Taken from helicopters granted permission to bypass ordinary laws around aerial photography, the over 200 photographs in this volume capture the charm of the capital city in an iconic and unforgettable way." -- CHRONOGRAM

About the Author

Jeffrey Milstein is a photographer, architect, and pilot. His photographs have been exhibited and collected throughout the world, and have been featured in publications such as the New York Times, the Atlantic, Time, Esquire, Fortune, Harper's, Vanity Fair, GEO, GQ, Paris Match, Liberation, Graphis, and Die Zeit. He has won numerous awards, including Graphis Gold Awards, and has been featured on CNN and CBS. His work is in the collections of museums including the Scottish National Galleries, LACMA, George Eastman Museum, Musée de l'Elysée, Portland Art Museum, Akron Art Museum, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where he had a yearlong solo show. His work has also been featured in a show called Civilization, which has been traveling the world. His other books include Paris from the Air, LA NY, Aircraft, Cuba, and Small Dreams. He lives in Woodstock, New York.