Winners of the 2020 Aerial Photography Awards Highlight Beauty Seen From the Sky

Aerial Photo of The Frame in Dubai

“The Frame” by Bachir Moukarzel. First place, Constructions.

In its first edition, the Aerial Photography Awards has made its mark by revealing the strength of its winners. Photographers around the world used drones, helicopters, kites, balloons, and airplanes to capture unique views of the planet. And, in the end, the jury selected 106 winning photos across 22 categories.

Thousands of photographers from 65 countries submitted their work for consideration, with the Abstract, Architecture, Constructions, Daily life, Landscapes, Sports, Travel, and Wildlife categories proving to be the most popular. Using a one to 20 ranking system, each photograph was scored and these scores were used not only to determine category winners, but also to select the top photographers.

Belgian photographer Sebastien Nagy took home the title of Aerial Photographer of the Year for his strong showing in the competition. Six of his aerial photographs won awards, including First Place in the Architecture, Cityscape, and Hotels category. The victory was particularly meaningful for Nagy, as it was the first time he'd participated in a photo competition.

“I didn't think I would win anything and it was mostly for fun,” says Nagy. “So I was very surprised when I heard the good news. It was a bit hard to believe at first as it was the Grand-Prix, but I did feel a real joy and pride. To be named first in a contest where the theme is what we love most, our passion, is incredible and very satisfying! This award made me want to test myself in other things and why not, to be able to judge others in my turn one day.”

Check out more winners from the inaugural Aerial Photography Awards.

Aerial View of Colorful Houses in Spain

“Spanish Rainbow” by Sebastien Nagy. First place, Cityscapes.

Aerial Photo of Pedestrians with Umbrella Crossing the Street

“Umbrella Crossing” by Daniel Bonte. First place, Patterns.

Skyggnisvatn in Iceland

“Skyggnisvatn” by Sebastian Müller. First place, Landscapes.

Fishing Boat Dropping Next That Forms the Shape of a Face

“The Lady of the Sea” by Duy Sinh. First place, Daily Life.

Aerial View of Historic Town

“LEGO Town” by Andrea Caruso. Second place, Cityscapes

Aerial Photo of the Tatacoa Desert in Colombia

“Tatacoa Desert” by Johan Vandenhecke. First place, Abstract.

Aerial view of homes in Greece

“Abstract Greece” by Sebastien Nagy. First place, Architecture

Aerial View of Fishing Boats in Vietnam

“Anchovy Catching” by Thien Nguyen. Second place, Daily Life.

Ship Carrying Freight Through Icy Waters of Finland

“Fairway of the Gulf of Finland” by Alexander Sukharev. First place, Transportation.

Aerial Photography Awards: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by the Aerial Photography Awards via Photo Publicity.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book 'Street Art Stories Roma' and most recently contributed to 'Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini'. You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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