diff --git a/RNGL/GLTexture.m b/RNGL/GLTexture.m
index 8393520b55157480eb99cb4747d38919dbd8104b..5dd2e826fab507807b393da2dc991169a10035dc 100644
--- a/RNGL/GLTexture.m
+++ b/RNGL/GLTexture.m
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 #import "RCTLog.h"
 #import "RCTUtils.h"
 
+// FIXME: the current approach of using a byte array is probably a bottleneck
+// this should be investigated: https://github.com/ProjectSeptemberInc/gl-react-native/issues/6
+
 GLImageData* genPixelsEmpty (int width, int height)
 {
   GLubyte* data = (GLubyte *) malloc(width*height*4*sizeof(GLubyte));
@@ -54,17 +57,11 @@ GLImageData* genPixelsWithImage (UIImage *image)
 
 GLImageData* genPixelsWithView (UIView *view)
 {
-  float width = RCTScreenScale() * view.bounds.size.width;
-  float height = RCTScreenScale() * view.bounds.size.height;
-  GLubyte *data = (GLubyte *)malloc(4 * width * height);
-  CGColorSpaceRef colourSpace = CGColorSpaceCreateDeviceRGB();
-  CGContextRef ctx = CGBitmapContextCreate(data, width, height, 8, 4 * width, colourSpace, kCGImageAlphaPremultipliedLast | kCGBitmapByteOrder32Big);
-  CGColorSpaceRelease(colourSpace);
-  CGContextClearRect(ctx, CGRectMake(0.0, 0.0, width, height));
-  CGContextScaleCTM(ctx, RCTScreenScale(), RCTScreenScale());
-  [view.layer renderInContext:ctx];
-  CGContextRelease(ctx);
-  return [[GLImageData alloc] initWithData:data withWidth:width withHeight:height];
+  UIGraphicsBeginImageContextWithOptions(view.frame.size, NO, RCTScreenScale());
+  [view drawViewHierarchyInRect:view.frame afterScreenUpdates:YES];
+  UIImage *snapshot = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
+  UIGraphicsEndImageContext();
+  return genPixelsWithImage(snapshot);
 }
 
 @implementation GLTexture