'Yacht 3' (Laurent Maes)

Belgian photographer Laurent Maes captures incredible high-resolution images of ships from above in his “Shipshape” photo series.

The photos are so crisp that when they are zoomed in, details of each freighter or yacht can be seen clearly.

“Aerial views of this type have been done before, but never with this level of precision,” Maes explained to weather.com. “The very high definition of pictures allows them to be printed at sizes up to 10 feet.”

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So how does Maes manage to get such crystal-clear images? The photographer says he won’t reveal his techniques.

“The most important [part] is not the process, but the result,” said Maes. “It’s like a magic trick, it’s more funny when you don’t reveal how it works, that’s the reason I don’t communicate so much about it, if it’s well done, the viewers have to feel it’s easy to do.”

It isn’t just the intricate details of the ships that make the images unique; it is also the visual contrast between the ships and the Mediterranean.

“The waves produced by the ships are also an important graphic element in my pictures,” said Maes. “The weather constantly modifies the color of the sea, it’s surprising, it may change from one minute to another: It shifts between blues and greens. It’s a pleasing palette.”

To see more of Maes work visit his website.