‘Stormpilot’ captures intensity of turbulence from the cockpit

WHILE you’re gripping your seat during turbulence, pilot Santiago Borja is taking the best photos he can. SEE HIS AMAZING IMAGES

The Stormpilot has a pretty spectacular view of the sky. Picture: Santiago Borja

PILOT Santiago Borja often has his head in the clouds so a bit of wild weather while high in the sky doesn’t scare him.

While most plane passengers grip tight onto their seats and hope for the best in times of turbulence, Mr Borja, from Ecuador, takes the time to focus his camera, capturing storms as they light up the skies and create some pretty awe-inducing scenes.

A view from the cockpit of Guayaquil City lights Picture: Santiago Borja / www.santiagoborja.com

Santiago Borja has released a book which he has shot through the cockpit window while working as pilot. Picture: Santiago Borja.

From the safety of his cockpit, the major airline pilot flies boeing 767-300ER all over the world so he’s often faced with the causes of turbulence.

He loves a good aerial storm and sees it as an opportunity to capture pictures that most others cannot.

A storm developing over the Atlantic Ocean at 35000ft. Picture: Santiago Borja / www.santiagoborja.com

After successfully snapping his first aerial storm off the coast of Venezuela, the Stormpilot became hooked on sharing his view from the sky.

Taking his 35mm Nikon DSLR camera along each ride, Mr Borja has snapped some pretty breathtaking images of the heart of storms, and now he’s released a photo-book to share what he’s seen with others.

Cruise altitude after departing from Guayaquil, Ecuador, the Andes with a great sunset over Quito. Picture: Santiago Borja / www.santiagoborja.com

Mr Borja’s photos show the furious build-up of swirling clouds, striking lightning bolts and the eerie glow only visible to those who fly high in the sky — even fewer would be able to get a keepsake photo of it.

Flying over the great Colombian Andes. Picture: Santiago Borja / www.santiagoborja.com

6am and flying over the Caribbean on a dark April morning. Picture: Santiago Borja / www.santiagoborja.com

“The most intensive feeling comes right at the start. When the aeroplane suddenly accelerates and I’m pressed into my seat in the cockpit,” he said of navigating through storms.

“First the front, and then the back wheels lose contact with the ground. No matter how often I experience this moment, it never feels routine.”

A sharp lightning illuminates this narrow yet powerful storm. Picture: Santiago Borja / www.santiagoborja.com

Mr Borja was born and raised in Quito and has been a first officer for an international airline since 2012.

It’s the first time his award-winning storm portraits will be displayed in a book after being showed in prestigious galleries across the world. Each photo offers insights into dramatic weather phenomena.

To get yourself a copy visit https://teneues-books.com/pictures-by-the-stormpilot-1.

Originally published as ‘Stormpilot’ captures intensity of turbulence from the cockpit