Salt flats in Northern California. (Andrei Durman)

Andrei Duman went from spending his days sitting in an office to hanging from the edge of a doorless helicopter, shooting photographs of some of the world’s most stunning locations. The photographer, who spent over 10 years as an investment banker in London and New York, switched gears to go full-time behind a camera lens, traveling the islands of Peru and following the tribes in Namibia and even storm-chasing across the Midwest.

Duman dreamt of working in video, inspired by travel stories found in National Geographic or in a BBC documentary. “Well I never attempted to be a cameraman, but my wonder for the more remote and less travelled destinations still stuck with me,” Duman told weather.com.

Before he became a full-time photographer, Duman said that he photographed for many years while traveling for tennis competitions, as a semi-professional tennis player. “I started getting more heavily involved with photography and upgrading my equipment around 10 years ago,” he said. “All that I know up to this point has been self-taught and learned through my mistakes.”

Duman’s most recent project was capturing the salt flats of Northern California. His striking aerials show long stretches of land in abstract shapes, inundated in striking colors of white, yellow and orange. “The train track line of separation was so clear between the [yellow and white] colors, with the white section having so much texture and detail and the yellow section being very smooth with the extra layer of water,” said Duman. “I knew as soon as I took that shot that it would be one of my favorites.”

In order to get the shots he wanted, Duman flew on helicopters because of the versatility that it provides. “I always fly with the door off to eliminate glass reflections and the only thing that sits between me and death is a safety belt, which in certain situations I have to loosen a little to get the right shot so it feels like nothing is holding you,” he said.

According to Duman, he is constantly in contact with the pilot during the flight, directing changes in altitude when necessary, and he flies at an altitude between 50 to 500 feet. While this control helps his photography, flights are still risky and certain weather conditions can pose further challenges.

“I think the most difficult is the fact that the door is off and when panning to get the shot, the wind is a huge factor,” he said. “I have had times when [the wind] literally blew the camera out of my hands.”

The time of day is also a factor when Duman shoots his aerials. “If you shoot later in the day and the sun is lower, with constant panning, [the sun] always ends up in your shot as you rotate around a subject,” he said. “Knowing at what point the sun will start to become a hindrance is therefore crucial to the success of the shoot.”

But even with great planning, there are things you can’t anticipate. “This is where trusting your equipment, your knowledge of the workings of your equipment and your quick on-the-fly decisions make the difference between a good shot and a great one,” he said.

All these challenges help Duman grow as a photographer: “For me, it is all about forcing myself to be pushed outside of my comfort zone and to constantly be learning and evolving.”

Visit Duman's or visit his in California to see more of his photography.