Hope you all got good and loaded up on hotdogs this weekend- and maybe did something nice and 4th-of-July iconic, like sunning yourself to a crisp on a crowded beach. Apparently we’re feeling rather patriotic over here, because in addition to the fireworks images, we’re going to show you something else aerial and purdy– kite pictures!

I mean- maybe you all are familiar with the notion of a picture from a kite, but it’s new to me. I thought you had to be Vincent Laforet or Cameron Davidson to go aerial, but apparently you can strap a photo doohicky to your kite and compete pretty well.

French photographer Nicolas Chorier seems to be the leader of the kite pack, if my sources are correct. This is him:

Chorier describe’s the advantage a kite provides:

The Kite’s precision and simplicity provides an exciting, cost effective, and innovative solution to photographing subjects from the sky, and offers a unique vantage point to viewers and photographers alike.

Some of these shots are simply stunning… this one above shows a view of a small white kite flying over a beach in Denmark.

Chorier shoots all of the world- Laos, Indonesia, Uzbekistan… you name it.

Read all about the process of kite photography on Chorier’s site.