With the site Holding Pattern, Lauren O´Neill posts satellite imagery of airports:

I’ve been fascinated by airports for as long as I can remember — there’s something about the comings + goings, the organization + operation … ultimately the systems of design at play … that’s so intriguing to me. Whether DCA, JFK, or the little municipal airport, I’ve always lived in a direct flight pattern of an airport. Day-to-day, I glance out my window and watch planes circle about waiting to land.

During layovers, I often find myself observing the activity on the runway and thinking that I’d love to see this from above. With a creative block on a project, I took to google mapping airports and was enamored by the beautiful satellite shots on my screen. Since then, wanderlust has often inspired me to get lost in the satellite imagery of various destinations even when I’m glued to my desk.

The pattern of O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois:

So, that’s not exactly a ‘holding pattern’ you say … You’re right, but I love the idea of circling above an airport waiting to land. I feel like that mirrors my process of searching for + cropping the right shot. Plus, I love the fact that a lot of the taxiway markings and linework are patterned across an airport’s tarmac.

Featured image shows Raivavae Airport located in French Polynesia.