Costa People: Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it’s Daniel Posner!

49-year-old Daniel Posner has, what you might call, an extraordinary job. He certainly has no ordinary office, which comes as something of a surprise, even to the man himself, considering that for the best part of his life in the UK he had a fairly conventional job as a police officer and then as a therapist/personal trainer.

No, Daniel Posner is no ordinary man. Anyone who dedicates his life to photographing the Costa del Sol from 3,000 metres up, with just a seat and a motor to keep him company, is definitely slightly crazy (says me, a serious sufferer of aerophobia). But Daniel has made a successful career here on the Costa del Sol doing just that. His business, Aerial Photography Spain, is literally taking him and photography to new heights.  

How long have you been living on the Coast and what brought you here originally?

My wife Nikki, daughter Ellie and I moved here from Manchester in 2007. We hated the weather there, and wanted Ellie to grow up outdoors in the sunshine. 

Why aerial photography? What’s wrong with keeping your feet on the ground!

Photography and flying aeroplanes have been my passion and have been with me for all of my adult life. I slowly moved into professional photography, but only part-time when my work as a trainer would allow. When we moved to Spain I continued with the training, although I wasn’t enjoying it anymore. Also, this place is so beautiful, that I was desperate to fly and photograph it from the air.

The last 3 years have been spent firstly dealing with the complex logistics of making this happen and then, more recently, perfecting the very best way to combine the two commercially and artistically.  It’s one hell of an ongoing learning curve, but my, what fun!

I truly consider myself to be living the dream. As I’m flying along the coast of Marbella on my way home from a job, sipping a cup of tea (I’ll post a picture), I realise what a very lucky guy I am, and never a day goes by that I don’t appreciate it.

You have a slightly unusual office. Tell us about it.

Daniel Posner in his aerial office!

My studio is situated up in the air, anywhere from 50 to 3,000 metres.  It’s not for the faint-hearted, however, I can thoroughly recommend it. Lots of fresh air, no crowds, in fact no people at all. The sky is a very peaceful place. 

What gets your adrenalin going? 

Launching my aircraft. You see, I have no wheels. My undercarriage is my legs, so I have to run very fast with 40kg on my back, until I get hauled off the ground. It’s the hardest part and really focuses the attention.

Scariest moment?

Believe it or not I wasn’t flying. I was on the ground starting the engine, when I was still just learning. I was alone in my take-off field with the Paramotor on the ground. It has a pull start mechanism and as I went to start it, the engine unexpectedly revved up and I lost my balance. The whole machine lunged forward into me, and my shoulder went straight into the spinning propeller. My scariest moment was afterwards when I looked down at my shoulder. My next scariest moment was calling Nikki from the hospital! 

Favourite view from above? 

I love Marbella from really high up (2,000m+). From this height you really get to see all it has to offer. We have our beautiful mountain La Concha, the La Concepción reservoir next to it, our three ports (Puerto Banús and two in Marbella), so many beautiful golf courses, and that amazing light. Also, contrary to popular belief, there is so much space.

Anything you miss about England?

I miss going round to my mum’s for a cup of tea. 

Authentic Spanish tapas bar, or chic Puerto Banús restaurant?

Tapas every time. You cannot beat the atmosphere, and usually the bill is a pleasant surprise too. 

You have a daughter, what are the advantages for her living in Spain?

Together with the climate, it was the main reason for moving over here. I truly believe that children should grow up playing outside. I did, and I was absolutely freezing, but there was nothing to do inside. Now it’s different, there’s too much temptation from the zillion TV channels and the internet. Most of our friends’ kids in the UK spend the best part of their day sitting down. Also, I love the fact that Ellie (8yrs) is completely bilingual. 

Survival tip for moving to Spain?

Don’t do it, unless you have a job or enough funds to last you at least two years. Also, it helps if you’re the kind of family that are content to spend the day on a beach with a picnic and a total expense of a couple of coffees and an ice cream. We’ve had so many days doing exactly that. It’s cheap and it’s the stuff kids memories are made of.

Daniel Posner is owner of Aerial Photography Spain, a VIVA Recommends Partner. Daniel’s photography is unique and truly stunning, capturing the Costa del Sol in all its magnificent glory.

Visit Daniel Posner’s microsite to see some amazing samples of his work. Or call him directly on 952 855 717.

Check out Daniel’s video Live Your Life at the top of this article. It captures Daniel perfectly doing what he loves best. Hobby or work? We’re not quite convinced this is your normal 9 to 5. More a labour of love!