Mind-bending photographs capture Napier as it has never been seen before

Iconic Napier locations have been captured from a new perspective through the surreal photography of Mauro Pacella.

The professional drone pilot from Argentina, who is on a working holiday in Napier, was inspired to take the photos while on a walk along Marine Parade.

Pacella was captured by the geometry of the gardens and the viewing platform and wanted to create a visually striking image.

He wanted to create surreal images which would make the viewer question the reality of the scene, experience vertigo and wonder how it was created.

He wanted Napier residents, who would recognise the locations, to see them from a different perspective which would "make the mind fly to a completely different place to the one they [have] known for years".

The technique itself uses both a standing camera and drone to photograph the scene then editing was done in Photoshop to create the final image.

The process was something Pacella had not tried before and the overall effect is inspired by the movie Inception, one of his favourite films.

"I saw this as an opportunity to push myself again into a process I had never tried and didn't know if it was going to turn out fine," he said.

To take the shots, he first analysed the location, planned the image then found the perfect time of day to photograph.

After he had taken the photographs he edited it to "achieve a style, a signature that could be recognisable".

"I'm always looking for symmetry, geometry, lines, mirror images, angles, hard contrast and heavy, sharp detailed scenes," he said.

In the image of the viewing platform, a whale was digitally added to give further impact.

The photos captured Napier's attention after Pacella shared them on social media to "take the mind of the community to an 'alternate reality' in these difficult times".

They gathered the response Pacella wanted with many speculating about how the images were taken.

Pacella has been interested in photography for about seven years and said it was an important part of his job as a drone pilot in Argentina.

His little brother first brought a camera into their house and the pair became interested in the art together, often comparing points of style, colouring, composition and techniques.

Pacella first arrived in New Zealand late last year and came to Hawke's Bay in January.

"I was immediately caught by Napier, the city, the beach, the ocean, the vibe, the buildings, the history and culture," he said.

When asked what he loves about Napier, he said, "In one word, everything".