A daredevil photoshoot on the roof of the Trump International Hotel & Tower in downtown Vancouver was cut short by police Thursday evening.
The hair-raising stunt was captured by a CTV News camera mounted on the nearby Shangri-La Hotel, which recorded a man posing on his back on the ledge of the 63-storey tower around 8 p.m.
After the man stood up to adjust his own camera, he was interrupted by police and security guards, who ushered him off the building.
Vancouver police confirmed the photographer was spoken to and released without charges.
His shoot was the latest in a long line of death-defying stunts performed atop high-rises and other urban architecture, many of which end up on social media sites.
Interestingly, one thrill-seeker told CTV News there's more to gain than attention and an adrenalin rush; some people also do it for cash.
"It's grown into a business for me," said Alex Parsons of Roam Vancouver, a company that specializes in rooftop photography.
"There's a lot of media companies and private investors that will pay a lot of big bucks for shots like these."
Parsons said brands will approach him and encourage him to bring their product onto a rooftop for one of his photos, which get shared with nearly 20,000 followers on Instagram.
"There's a lot of opportunity that comes about when you're putting out this level of photography," he said.
Climbing onto rooftops is dangerous and illegal, of course. Parsons wouldn't reveal how he makes his way up, noting "a magician doesn't give away his tricks."
Last year, one urban climber was injured after plummeting nine metres during an attempt to mount the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver on Georgia Street.
The daredevil, who goes by the nickname Epinerein online, suffered a broken arm and shoulder, as well as minor spinal injuries.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Scott Hurst
