Zack Seckler's aerial photos of Iceland were taken aboard an ultra-light aircraft in November.
Zack Seckler
Seckler intentionally leaves out the horizon to give his photos an abstract feel.
Zack Seckler
"My goal is to create aerial photography that's somewhat unexpected. ... It plays with the balance between reality and abstract," said Seckler, who is based in New York.
Zack Seckler
Seckler's series includes seals, sea lions and other wildlife.
Zack Seckler
Although Iceland has its share of volcanoes and waterfalls, Seckler remained close to Iceland's coastline. "Based on the research that I did, given the scenarios and the time, the southern coast seemed to have what I wanted," he said.
Zack Seckler
The aircraft was able to fly down to just a few feet off the ground and then soar to 1,000 feet.
Zack Seckler
"I asked (the pilot) where he got the plane from as we were flying along; that was the point he told me he'd made it himself," Seckler said. "That was pretty terrifying."
Zack Seckler
Harsh weather conditions proved problematic, grounding Seckler for a whole day at one point.
Zack Seckler
"What I find really compelling about Iceland is the tremendous variety of water," Seckler said.
Zack Seckler
"It gets really difficult at that time of year," Seckler said. "Hurricane season is coming, and the hours of light are limited."
Zack Seckler
Seckler said he's planning further aerial projects, researching possible trips to the Arctic and Africa.
Zack Seckler
"What I specifically look for is places that have very interesting landscapes, that have a lot of colors to play with," he said.
Zack Seckler
Seckler's Iceland aerials will be exhibited at the Robin Rice Gallery in Manhattan from March 16 through May 8.
