Slideshow: Winners of the 1st annual Aerial Photography Awards

Winners of the 1st annual Aerial Photography Awards

Several thousand photos from 65 countries were submitted to the 1st annual Aerial Photography Awards – a competition open to artists using drones, kites, balloons, helicopters, and planes to capture imagery. The jury, including From Where I Drone’s Dirk Dallas, Costas Spathis, Women Who Drone’s Elena Buenrostro, the Abstract Aerial Art team, and Florian Ledoux awarded 106 photos in 22 categories and 11 photographers in 6 master categories.

‘When I submitted my images to the Aerial Photography Awards I knew the competition was going to be fierce. The number of aerial photographers has grown exponentially in the past few years. The advent of high quality, inexpensive and easy to fly drones is the obvious cause. But it takes more than just good gear. The incredible images submitted to the competition shows the dedicated and talented artists that the Aerial Photography Awards attracts,’ Jamie Malcolm-Brown, who received a nod in the Special Mentions section, tells DPReview.

A few of the Master category winners include these photos, from left to right, in the Abandoned, Travel, and Cityscapes categories.

Sebastian Nagy was awarded overall Aerial Photographer of the Year. He got his start in aerial photography on city rooftops. Six of the images he submitted were category winners. Make sure you check out the Awarded Photographers, Aerial Photos of the Year, and Special Mentions.

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 1st Place, Daily Life: ‘The Lady of the Sea’ by Duy Sinh (Vietnam)

Artist Statement: A fishing boat is dropping a net and accidentally the waves pull the edges of the net into a lady on the blue sea. An accident of creation.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 2nd Place, Daily Life: ‘Anchovy Catching’ by Thien Nguyen (Vietnam)

Artist Statement: Soft light of new day illuminating the long smoke from fishing boat engine & the shape of green nets moving underneath the water surface when local fishermen pulling their nets.

Many local fisherman families along the coastline of Phu Yen province will follow the near-shore currents to catch the anchovy during peak season. Salted anchovy is the most important raw material to create traditional sh sauce – the spirit of Vietnamese cuisine.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 1st Place, Patterns: ‘Umbrella Crossing’ by Daniel Bonte (Japan)

Artist Statement: Crossing of umbrellas bring colors on a gray rainy canvas.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 2nd Place, Editorial: ‘Eid Congregation’ by Azim Khan Ronnie (Bangladesh)

Artist Statement: South Asia’s largest Eid-ul-Fitr Congregation held in Gor-e-Shahid Boro Math, Dinajpur, Bangladesh. According to the organizers’ claim, over 600,000 devotees participated in this Eid congregation. The prayers began at 8:30 am with devotees coming from different parts of the region. Eid-ul-Fitr is a Muslim festival of happiness celebrated all over the world.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Single Category Winner, Digitally Enhanced: ‘Airplanes’ by Cassio Vasconcellos (Brazil)

Artist Statement: These aerial images are all constructed after many different photos that I did flying by helicopter. All images presented here are done after 2015 but is impossible to determine just a one-day shooting since I use sometimes hundreds of photos.

Aerial Photography Technique: Helicopter

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 1st Place, Documentary: ‘Fire Attack’ by Marc LeCornu (Jersey)

Artist Statement: Firefighters from the Jersey Airport Rescue & Firefighting Service work as a team to attack a simulated aircraft response. These live response scenarios are designed to ensure the crews are fully skilled and ready should a real incident occur.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 1st Place, Waterscapes: ‘Arctic Paradise’ by Kyle Vollaers (United Kingdom)

Artist Statement: This image was taken o the coast of Qeqertarsuaq in -25° celsius. One of the most beautiful yet abstract places I’ve ever seen.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 1st Place, Landscapes: ‘Skyggnisvatn’ by Sebastian Müller (Switzerland)

Artist Statement: The Highlands of Iceland.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 1st Place, Trees & Forests: ‘Forest Path’ by Mehmet Aslan (Turkey)

Artist Statement: Herd of sheep uses forest road to return home.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 1st Place, Abstract: ‘Tatacoa Desert’ by Johan Van Den Hecke (Belgium)

Artist Statement: A topdown view of the rock formations of the Tatacoa desert at sunset.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone

Aerial Photographer of the Year 2020, 1st Place, Accommodations: ‘Colors of Dubai’ by Kevin Krautgartner (Germany)

Artist Statement: Real estate shooting for accommodations in the Burj Khalifa.

Aerial Photography Technique: High point of view.

Special Mention: ‘Love Island’ by Jamie Malcolm-Brown (United States)

Artist Statement: The fog dissipated as the sun rose behind some storm clouds over this heart-shaped island.

Aerial Photography Technique: Drone