Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
One in a lifetime Halo Jump

A parachutist from the Colombian army’s Special Forces performs a daring challenge: a HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) jump at 22,000 feet above ground and at 200 miles per hour. It’s one of the the most high stakes mission a soldier can undertake.   The complexity of this maneuver cannot be overstated.  It requires meticulous planning, extensive training, and nerves of steel.   As he leaps from the plane, the elite operator makes eye-contact with the camera, creating a rare, majestic, and undoubtedly praise-worthy moment. A moment, that neither he, nor I, will ever forget.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2015
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: N/A, Colombia
Camera: NIKON D750
Copyright: © Oliver Ehmig