GORGEOUS 11.5" x 17" unframed phograph by Gray Malin titled "Ocean Beach with Water". This image is part of Gray Malin's collection entitled “À La Plage, À La Piscine” (translates to At the Beach, Pool).

The images in the series are shot from door-less helicopters in the skies above, and come from around the world. From famed Bondi beach in Australia, to European shores, the Americas, and even Africa!

His inspiration? Watching pool-goers from a Las Vegas balcony.

“I was standing on a top-floor hotel balcony in Las Vegas that happened to have a bird’s eye view of the pool below,” Malin said to Weather.com. “I became mesmerized by the spectacle of hundreds of sunbathers and swimmers splashing around in this gigantic pool. I took a photo of the scene, and it ended up being the creative spark that ignited the series.”

Having spotted an interesting color or pattern, Malin bravely leans from the helicopter to snap away. His secret to capturing a great image is timing, he says.

“When you’re flying in a helicopter at high speeds, leaning out the doorway into strong winds, you often only have a fraction of a second to capture the right shot.”