Crane Operator Captures Stunning Photos Of Aerial Shanghai

The following photos, capturing the majesty of Shanghai as seen from above, recently took second prize in the Shanghai City Photography Competition.

This isn't all too surprising, given the photographs' ability to encompass both the power of the city skyline and the splendor of the heavens above. What is surprising, however, is that these photos were not taken by a professional photographer, but a crane operator. Yup, a crane operator made this:

The supremely talented amateur photographer, Wei Gensheng, works at the highest point in Shanghai, the in-progress Shanghai Tower, giving him the perfect vantage point from which to snap a memorable shot. As the building under construction grows and grows, Wei's view, and thus his work, continues to improve.

When Shanghai Tower is complete, slated for sometime this year, it's expected to reach 2,073 feet and 121 floors -- that's twice the height of the Eiffel Tower. Excluding the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Shanghai Tower will be the tallest building in the world. Now that's a photo op if we've ever seen one.