Creating an important space for drone photography within the industry, the Drone Photo awards has announced the winners of the prestigious contest.
Organized under the umbrella of the Siena Awards, it carves out a unique niche within the photography world, intentionally moving away from traditional formats.
2024’s Photo of the Year was taken by Gilad Topaz for his image ‘Drifting in Space’. During an incredible adventure aboard an icebreaker in the freezing waters of the Baltic Sea in Sweden, Topaz and other passengers seized the opportunity to jump into the icy sea. Wearing special rubber suits to keep the cold at bay, they carved out a pool amid the ice, and almost resemble astronauts floating through space.
In the ‘People’ category, this haunting and important image of body bags recovered from a mass grave in Bucha, Ukraine in April, 2022, won first place, captured by Carol Guzy. Investigators began the morbid task of lining the bodies up at a cemetery to assess evidence of war crime after Bucha was liberated from Russian occupation.
There are only about 300,000 sperm whales left in the world, and they have been considered endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1973. Toby Nicol captured this drone image, for the "Animal" category, off the shores of Perth, Australia, while a tiger shark floats just above it.
This image of a skate park in Azpeitia in Spain by Alex Berasategi came in first place in the ‘Sport’ category. Taken in his hometown, Berasategi planned to take the image for use on the first anniversary of the new skate park. He focused on the layout and lines of the park to create this minimalist image.
An incredible aerial view of nature’s artistry in Iceland’s highlands wins the top prize in the ‘Abstract’ category. Isabelle Tabacchi captured the mesmerizing image of the country’s grooves, rivers and vegetation in an image that looks more like a painting than a photograph.
Paul Mckenzie won in the ‘Series’ category for his images of Lesser Flamingos. The birds thrive in some of the harshest environments on Earth, both searing air temperatures and caustic waters, ideal conditions for producing their staple food, cyanobacteria. Seen from above in their watery environment, the soda lakes provide a colorful backdrop, complimenting their vibrant animals.
Yuriy Stolypin took first place in the ‘Urban’ category with his ethereal image of Europe's tallest skyscraper poking out of the clouds. This image of the Lakhta Center in Russia was the result of months of intense planning and waiting for the perfect weather conditions.
The winner of the ‘Nature’ category is Xiaoying Shi, whose fascination with the unique and captivating geological formations of Factory Butte in Utah inspired him to buy a drone and capture its beauty in all its glory. It wasn’t until his third day of shooting that he finally witnessed the warm, low light he had been seeking to photograph a stronger and more textured landscape.
Vlad Vasylkevych won in the ‘Video’ category for his stunning film '1 Million Bombs Before’, documenting the beauty of Ukraine before the Russian invasion. He travelled more than 70,000 kilometers across the country in four years, preserving thousands of scenes, landscapes, views, and spaces, many now changed or lost through war.
He shared:
"This video encapsulates my journeys through Ukraine. Initially, my intention was to present an uncommon, bird's-eye view of Ukraine's beauty—to showcase it from ABOVE. However, now I recognize that pain is intertwined with beauty. The land, mutilated by the enemy, with scarred forests and protected areas, will never resemble what I originally captured and etched into my memory."
In a slightly left field decision there is also a ‘Wedding’ category. Joanna Zdancewicz wins with her image of a birds eye view of two newly weds kissing in an original Volkswagen Beetle against a green background.
Fancy getting in to drone photography? Why not check out our guides to the best camera drones, the best cheap drones, and the best drones for beginners.
