Breathtaking Aerial Photography by George Steinmetz

George Steinmetz's aerial photography is nothing short of astounding, especially when you realize that they're taken from his paraglider.

Steinmetz, 51, has spent much of the last 12 years motoring above the African landscape in a gas-powered paraglider, engine and propeller strapped to his back, camera in both hands. His aerial images are deeply saturated with color, richly detailed, and struck with a perspective that you can only imagine as you stand on the ground and stare up at the birds. In dozens of stories for National Geographic and GEO and now in a gorgeous new book called African Air, Steinmetz has captured a view of the world that’s both documentary and art, with the rare ability to surprise and impress you at every turn of the page.