This time-lapse photo of planes taking off at LAX is mind-blowing

Mike Kelley

More than 66 million travelers fly in and out of Los Angeles International Airport every year, making it the third-busiest airport in the US.

In 2013, there were 1,685 takeoffs and landings per day, on average, at LAX. That's one takeoff or landing every minute. The airspace in and around the airport is incredibly crowded.

Architectural photographer and aviation geek Michael Kelley decided, one smog-free Sunday morning, to spend the day photographing the action at LAX.

Perched on top of the hill at Clutter's Park with camera in hand, Kelley spent seven hours baking under the California sun. Tired and sunburned, he eventually took the more than 400 pictures that would serve as the basis for the amazing photo, which we first saw on reddit/r/LosAngeles.

Click here for more of Mike Kelley's work.