Crane Operator in Shanghai Takes Photos from His Amazing Perch

Many a starry-eyed amateur photographer chooses to ignore the advice, “Don’t quit your day job.” But we’re certainly glad that Wei Gensheng didn’t.

Gensheng works as a crane operator in Shanghai, which affords him breathtaking views of the city. His crew is currently building the second tallest skyscraper in the world, Shanghai Tower, which dwarfs the rest of the city at 2,073 feet (632 meters). Throughout the project, Gensheng has been photographing Shanghai from his perch, and his work is stunning, offering entirely unique aerial panoramas of China’s largest metropolis:

Gensheng recently unveiled the images at a prestigious citywide photography competition and captured second place, as well as the respect of the industry.