Stunning photos of storms taken from an airplane cockpit

<strong>Stormy skies</strong>: Ecuador-based aviator Santiago Borja is nicknamed "the Storm Pilot" thanks to his atmospheric shots of tumultuous skies, all taken from the cockpit.

Stormy skies: Ecuador-based aviator Santiago Borja is nicknamed "the Storm Pilot" thanks to his atmospheric shots of tumultuous skies, all taken from the cockpit.

<strong>Amazing opportunity: </strong>Borja's been taking photos from airplane windows for most of his pilot career. "Right after I began with photography, I realized that we have such great views from the aircraft, that it would be a really good opportunity to portray those landscapes -- and then share these views with my friends with my family, and ultimately with everybody else," Borja tells CNN Travel.

Amazing opportunity: Borja's been taking photos from airplane windows for most of his pilot career. "Right after I began with photography, I realized that we have such great views from the aircraft, that it would be a really good opportunity to portray those landscapes -- and then share these views with my friends with my family, and ultimately with everybody else," Borja tells CNN Travel.

<strong>Specialty shots:</strong> As his photography skills improved, Borja started concentrating specifically on tumultuous weather.

Specialty shots: As his photography skills improved, Borja started concentrating specifically on tumultuous weather.

<strong>The ultimate window seat: </strong>Don't worry, Borja doesn't take photographs when he's manning the plane. He mostly snaps the shots while on his commute -- his fellow pilots let him sit in the observer's seat and capture what's going on out the window.

The ultimate window seat: Don't worry, Borja doesn't take photographs when he's manning the plane. He mostly snaps the shots while on his commute -- his fellow pilots let him sit in the observer's seat and capture what's going on out the window.

<strong>Recess activity</strong>: "Then on our long haul flights we're usually three to four pilots and we switch places," explains Borja. "So on a 12 hour flight we always get six hours off the controls. So that's a perfect opportunity for me to try different angles, different lenses..."

Recess activity: "Then on our long haul flights we're usually three to four pilots and we switch places," explains Borja. "So on a 12 hour flight we always get six hours off the controls. So that's a perfect opportunity for me to try different angles, different lenses..."

<strong>Global adventures</strong>: Borja works for a major airline and gets to fly all over the world. What are his favorite places to photograph? "The Amazon -- the rainforests from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador," he says.

Global adventures: Borja works for a major airline and gets to fly all over the world. What are his favorite places to photograph? "The Amazon -- the rainforests from Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador," he says.

<strong>Active areas</strong>: He also name checks sunsets over the Atlantic Ocean and the changeable weather around Panama and the Caribbean: "It's a very active area," he says. "You can always expect some weather around there."

Active areas: He also name checks sunsets over the Atlantic Ocean and the changeable weather around Panama and the Caribbean: "It's a very active area," he says. "You can always expect some weather around there."

<strong>Scientific interest:</strong> His images aren't just beautiful to look at -- they're also of interest to the scientific community, as Borja quickly realized once he started posting the images to his Instagram. Now he's got a book, "The Storm Pilot" with text accompaniment from German meteorologist Michaela Koschack.

Scientific interest: His images aren't just beautiful to look at -- they're also of interest to the scientific community, as Borja quickly realized once he started posting the images to his Instagram. Now he's got a book, "The Storm Pilot" with text accompaniment from German meteorologist Michaela Koschack.

<strong>Worldwide recognition: </strong>Borja's images have attracted interest from NASA, MIT and the University of Columbia -- plus, this image, entitled "Pacific Storm" won an award from National Geographic.

Worldwide recognition: Borja's images have attracted interest from NASA, MIT and the University of Columbia -- plus, this image, entitled "Pacific Storm" won an award from National Geographic.

<strong>Peaceful moments:</strong> Still, for Borja, the best part is still the view from the cockpit, camera in hand or not. "It's a very quiet, very peaceful moment -- and it's kind of great because you get to enjoy the image, even if I don't have my camera on board, I just enjoy looking at the stars," he says.

Peaceful moments: Still, for Borja, the best part is still the view from the cockpit, camera in hand or not. "It's a very quiet, very peaceful moment -- and it's kind of great because you get to enjoy the image, even if I don't have my camera on board, I just enjoy looking at the stars," he says.

<strong>Published author: </strong>Borja's photographs are the subject of a book "<a href="https://teneues-books.com/pictures-by-the-stormpilot-1" target="_blank" target="_blank">#TheStormPilot</a>," published by teNeues, accompanied by information from meteorologist Michaela Koschak.

Published author: Borja's photographs are the subject of a book "#TheStormPilot," published by teNeues, accompanied by information from meteorologist Michaela Koschak.