The latest craze in adrenaline seeking, ‘rooftopping’ is taking the extremist world by storm. The whole idea is to climb to the top of the highest skyscrapers, lean over the edge, and take some breathtaking photographs. Naturally this is extremely dangerous and should absolutely not be attempted without some sort of safety harness in place.
Flying High
Rooftopping was conceptualised and made famous by Tom Ryaboi. His photographs are stunning to say the least, and he has introduced 20 other people to this worldwide craze. Perched on top of some of the world’s tallest buildings, Tom takes the word ‘daredevil’ to an entirely new level as the hangs off the ledges, or edges, of the buildings and captures scenes of the busyness below. This antic is definitely not for the faint-hearted or for anyone with a fear of heights.
Three things that rooftopping absolutely requires is a good camera, warm clothing and a heart for heights. Tom has climbed more than 100 buildings in his rooftopping time, many of them in Toronto, his hometown. Always in search of another high building, Tom makes a point of not pinholing his photography only to the tallest buildings. Some of his favourite photographs have been taken on top of some of the shorter buildings where he captures the essence of living in an urban jungle.
Tom has spent much of the past four years taking incredible pictures from the top of Toronto’s three tallest buildings. He has claimed that he quite likes the isolation and still enjoys the freedom and adrenaline of being alone, and on top of the world. His love of rooftopping started at an early age. It’s been in Tom’s blood since he was a little one. He explained that as a child his parents found him perched on top of the fridge one day and had no idea how he had gotten there.
His rooftopping craze has spread across the internet and created a trend of fellow rooftopping enthusiasts all over the world. Inspired to create an album of rooftopping, there are many incredible photos of views from the tops of buildings, that many of us would never be privy too only because of a fear of heights.
So, while Tom Ryaboi enjoys the heartstopping, adrenaline-fuelled rush of rooftopping, the rest of us will keep our feet on the ground and enjoy the stunning photographs and effects that he produces, from a safe distance.
Vida Denning is a freelance writer married to an industrial designer who is an extremist to the nth degree. Her research into mens workwear brought this topic to her attention, and now she’s hoping her husband doesn’t get any ideas. Their photo album is filled with enough heartstopping adrenaline-fuelled images that turned Vida pale.