Photographer Jeffrey Milstein has been fascinated by planes since childhood. His earliest aerial photographs were taken flying a rented Cessna 150 around Los Angeles as a teenager.

"I was fascinated by how everything looked from above," Milstein said.

Fifty years later, Milstein took to the air again to photograph Los Angeles and New York City, inspired by his years working as an architect. The 71-year-old used high resolution camera equipment to snap images out of the open door of a helicopter.

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"I was interested in documenting the patterns, layering and complexity of cities, highlighting airports, container ports, recreational facilities and residential and commercial developments, all of which grow organically over time and are connected by roads and arterial highways like a living organism," he explained in his artist statement.

At an altitude of 1,000 to 2,000 feet, the photographer was able to capture stunning, geometric views of Los Angeles and New York, including the Statue of Liberty, parks, skyscrapers and clusters of suburban homes.

Milstein's images are currently on display in two shows, both titled LANY, one in Los Angeles and one in New York, through August 22. For more information, .

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